six years!

So, my baby is 6. I really don't know where the past six years have gone. They have flown by! On Thursday, I brought a pinata into Abby's class. The kids had a blast with that and there was time left for me to read a couple of stories.

Yesterday, we had the usual Johnson bash at the house. We missed Auntie Betty and Grandpa Willy as both of them are recovering (Grandpa from surgery on his shoulder and Auntie Better from a recent hospital stay for her heart) We feasted on sloppy joes, chips, salad, cookie salad, carrots and dip. This year I made my own cake and frosted it with purchased whipped frosting from Sam's Club. We had to buy a 15 lb. bucket of it. We have enough frosting to last us the year and thankfully it will keep that long in the freezer. It was delicious! I made a video montage of Abby's first six years so we watched that. Tears were flowing. It was neat to watch her progression from baby to toddler to preschooler. Abby got a lot of great presents. Some games, new bedding, clothes for summer & money. She's been saving up her money to buy an American Girl doll. After yesterday, she had enough. Once everyone left, we surprised the girls with a quick trip to the Mall. Abby bought her own American Girl Doll (she chose Kit) and was able to get an extra outfit as well. She was SO excited!! Emma got an early birthday present and walked away with a bitty baby. She was pretty excited too!

Abby's had a pretty good year. She's doing great in all day kindergarten. She's still a tad on the dramatic side, but we're working on that. She's gotten so tall, is stick thin and absolutely beautiful! She loves, loves, loves to sing and create art projects. Lately she's been reading sight words and is great at sounding things out. Her good friends are Audrey, Bella, Samina and Gianna from school. Her penmanship has improved drastically since the begining of the year. She gave up pop and chips for lent and has been great at reminding us that she can't have them (not that she get's them real often) She's a night owl and SO not a morning person. It's very hard to drag her out of bed in the morning. Chocolate Milk is still her drink of choice. She dislikes mashed potatoes, baked potatoes and eggs of any kind. (all of which she LOVED a few years ago) She refuses to eat bread crust. She thinks it will make her hair curly. She thinks saying it was an accident makes it ok and that because it was "an accident" will prevent her from getting into trouble.

I can't wait to see where this year will take her.

our little barista

The girls were playing yesterday. Abby asked Tony if he wanted a "loppachino". Tony said, "Sure, that sounds interesting. What's in it?" "Hot cocoa and ketchup."

Hmm, I think I'll have a loppachino, hold the ketchup. (Blech!) Where do they come up with these things?!

abby's reading!!

For the past couple of weeks, Abby's teacher has been sending home these little 4-6 page books that primarily consist of sight words. Abby's homework is to read one of these nightly with one of us. When she's through, we have a little form to fill-out on how she did. She's been doing really well. Last night, she asked me to read her Barbie Goes to School book that she checked out from her school library. This book happened to be a first reader, level one. After looking at it, I noticed it had a lot of the same words in the books her teacher has been sending home. She decided to give it a go. She did fantastic!! There were a few big words that she needed help sounding out...other than that, she read it like a champ!! I was very proud of her and she was very proud of herself. She turns six in less than two weeks. I'm not really sure where the last six years went. Seems it was just yesterday she made her way into this world. I couldn't sleep last night and was thinking about the day I found out I was pregnant with her. It was a Sunday afternoon. I had suspicions. Tony left for softball and I got brave enough to take the test. Lo and behold it was a big fat positive! I think I smiled and then reality set in...I have to deliver this baby in 40 or so weeks!! I got over that fact quickly. When Tony came home, I showed him the positive test. I think he was a little shocked, as it had only been the second month of trying. After the initial shock set in, he was over-joyed too! Six years later, my baby is reading!

Abby's at the tail-end of her swim lessons. She's made huge strides since the first class. She was very timid of the water. She's still timid, but not nearly as much. She jumped in for the first time about three classes in (2/10) and has almost every class since. She's still a little nervous, but is getting there. She'll be a little fish in no time!