My baby is 6......

You read it. Our baby girl, Mairead is 6. And as Kevin puts it, she is 1/3 of the way OUT of the house. Daddy may think of it that way, but to me, it is so bittersweet! A 1/3 of the way?!? Really? That seems so crazy, I mean, the last 6 years have just flown by, and to think that another 6 years brings us to 12, a tween? No. I can't even think about that without my head spinning and me wanting to faint.

So, for now, we'll focus on 6. And what a fun year this has been for us. Mairead has matured so much in the last year and it's been so fun watching her evolve from a "mature" preschooler (if there is such a thing) and now an almost Kindergarten graduate! While Mairead never attended Kindergarten and was homeschooled, it's still hard to believe she will be entering 1st grade next year. In the last year, Mairead has learned to write beautifully, and read at an amazing level. She loves to count money. She is such an active learner and so unbelievably motivated. She keeps me on track most days. I have absolutely no doubt that she will do wonderful in 1st grade!

She has a love for her dolls (particularly her American Girl, Kit) and loves to pretend her babies are her children. She frequently talks about them as if they are her real, live dolls. It is not uncommon for her to come to me and tell me she has just given birth. She is such a big help with Callum when I need it and it is really great to have her ready and willing to help out. Of course, she will flaunt a newly found attitude and can still throw a fit like the best of them. Somedays her behavior is so amazing and others, well, not so amazing. The last few weeks she has really been testing her limits with me and Kevin, but with a lot of changes coming home, I think she is just as anxious as we are to move and get back into a routine again. But most days, she is a very caring and compassionate little girl who loves to play with her sisters and brother and of course, her friends.

Mairead is at such a fun age where she is really able to participate and play and have fun with me and Kevin. For example, in Mexico, while the youngest three took naps, Mairead and I went snorkeling together. It was so much fun to be able to do those types of things! She is so fun in the pool and is such a good swimmer, too! It only makes me and Kevin really excited for the years to come when all of our children will be able to participate in the same activities!

Modeling her new Birthday dress

She looks so BIG in this photo...sniff....sniff....

This past Monday, Mairead and I went out for our "annual Mommy & Mairead" birthday shopping trip. We went to the mall, shopped for her new birthday dress and enjoyed Churros at a local Mexican restaurant. I just love doing this as a tradition with all of my kids! For Mairead's birthday yesterday, she requested a day at Daddy's work. So, we woke up and met daddy at his work. It was fun because they were having a cookout, so the girls were able to run around and have some fun. After we got home, Mairead requested we go to the "cook in front of you" Japanese restaurant for her birthday dinner! Then of course, we stopped at Coldstone and picked up a cake ($25 frickin' dollars......what a RIP OFF0 and sang happy birthday when we got home while we skyped with Nana & Papa (my parents).

Since we moved to Virginia, Mairead has wanted an 'American Girl' birthday party, so tonight, our family and two of our neighbors will be joining us. I am actually quite surprised Mairead chose this option because it only included two of her friends. We gave her the option to have her birthday dinner at the American Girl Bistro with us, and then a party at home with friends, but she is a girl who knows what she wants, and she poo-poo'd that idea and said No thanks. Hey - makes my job easier! Though, it's kind of sad not preparing for a birthday party here at home for her!