To my daughter, Ellie, already into your seventh year,

I feel like soooo much has changed since I last wrote one of these! I’ve been thinking about writing this letter for months but life has been pretty crazy. Your birthday came around so fast after my trip to Nashville for Run for Hope, and then we had your party at The Little Gym. I think you had fun! Your dad took a lot of photos and soon I will hopefully make some scrapbook pages. I was very proud of my cupcakes and I also made “fruit sticks” per your request.

Let’s see … the biggest change by far is that you can read now!! Once you got the hang of it, probably about ¾ of the way through the school year, you started improving super fast! I am in awe of what you can read! You can even get the tone right and you do character voices which is so stinkin’ adorable. I love it when you read to me in the car while we’re driving to the gym or something.

You also finally reached 40 pounds and got to switch to a high-back booster seat which is cool because you can buckle and unbuckle yourself (especially after we got the rubber thingy). You are even figuring out clocks and money and jumping into conversations that don’t concern you –hehe! You also seem to enjoy correcting your parents and arguing, but we’re working on that.

It’s been quite a year, mostly due to your father losing his job in November right before Thanksgiving. For a brief time in January, we thought he was going to work in Nashville, but that didn’t end up coming to fruition. You were such a trooper through all of it. The blessing of that time is you got to spend more time with him. He took you to school most days and met you at the bus stop a lot too. You brought smiles to our faces even on the toughest of days. Every time we talk to God, we thank Him for our family – you, me and Daddy.

These days, as you become more and more independent (learning how to swim without floaties!), I am treasuring things like holding your hand when we’re walking across a parking lot, doing your hair, cuddling with you in the morning, playing pretend with you, reading to you while you sit on my lap, and hearing you sing (just not at the dinner table). You are vibrant, energetic, super smart, beautiful, funny, observant and helpful.

Love you sweet girl!

Mommy

Memories from each month of your sixth year

Trip to Disney World in May

Playing dress-up in June

Checking out all kinds of vehicles in July

Silliness in my office in August

Lovin’ on Rigsby in September

All dressed up for country western day in October

Managing the map at the zoo in November

Laughing as you try on your new nightgown in December

Selfie with mommy during school lunch visit in January

Being cute during coloring time in February

Not smiling “normal” with TobyMac in March

Looking so cute on Easter at church in April

In your birthday girl t-shirt before school in May