Oh my, look who's 5!

Happy, happy birthday Catherine Ellis Cain!  We say it every year, but we just can't believe our wee, tiny first-born is 5 - one whole hand!  You've taught us so much about life - when to laugh, when to cry, when to ignore and when to let go - parenting 101 began with you at 10:24 p.m. on the night of April 9, 2009.  It was Maundy Thursday and your Daddy was really holding out for a Good Friday baby, just like the Good Friday baby that your Uncle Drew is (also born April 9th!).

But you couldn't wait to get here - and that's how you've been your whole life.  Yearning to go-go-go, you're busy, energetic and a ball of good energy. As the years have gone by, the carefree side of you is still there, but you're much more cautious.  You need to know the "whole nine yards" to every issue, story or decision. You're an informed decision-maker to say the least!

You're a tom-boy by day and moonlight as a girly girl at night:)  You don't want to wear dresses or frilly stuff, you want "shirts and pants ONLY."  You love sports, games and dressing up - you're as versatile as they come dear one!  This year you've requested a spider-man birthday cake, but you're SO excited about your "cute" birthday shirt.  I love the way you roll - you're comfortable in your own skin and that makes this Mama SO happy.  May you always be who you are - to thine own self be true.  You can't go wrong by being you!

You're the most caring, compassionate and empathetic 5 year old we know.  Your teachers consistently comment on how kind you are to your classmates.  You're genuine - you care so much about others and want the best for all.  You're quick to try and settle a disagreement and you deal well with conflict - while you have emotions, you do a great job of being true to your emotions.  Hard stuff for a 5 year old to get!

You're competitive - if it's a game, you're playing it to win it, you do not like to lose, but we're trying to teach you that losing is a part of life and that it's what you do with a loss/failure that stretches you as a person - in a good way!  You love chess - you've been playing for two years now and you're decent for a 5  year old - you can't wait for Mondays because that's chess day with Coach Kelly.  You play soccer, tumble on the TumbleBus and dance during dance class.  You love to run - you completed your first 5K in February - so proud of you!  Who knows what sport is next for you?

You're a people pleaser - you love it when all parties are happy.  At this age this means doing more than your fair share of sharing with Caroline - you'll do just about anything to keep the peace, but you have a stubborn side too and sometimes even you aren't up for sharing and can be just as stubborn as your baby sister!

You're smart as a whip - your Pre-K teacher told us just a few months ago that she wishes she had 13 more of you.  You're a sponge that loves to soak up every ounce of knowledge that you can.  You're never satisfied with status quo (this is the good news and the bad news, ha!) and you're always yearning to go one step further.  You've mastered counting, some basic math, letter recognition, number recognition, writing letters and numbers, measurements and most importantly how to be a team player and work well with others. You're well prepared to go to "big" school.  We hope your enthusiasm for learning continues!  The best is yet to come!

You're our game-changer!  Our family certainly wouldn't be the same without the joy that you bring! We are so thankful for the blessing that you have been and will be to those that you choose to do life with dear one. We look forward to many, many more birthdays and milestones.

We love you as wide as the sky and as deep as the ocean!