Now We Are Six!

Rose celebrated her 6th birthday on Friday. And then again on Sunday with a party for her school friends. We ended up with 13 small people altogether, who were perfectly happy playing old-fashioned party games and picnicking on blankets on the floor. (The weather thinks it is November, not June, making planning anything outdoors impossible). Marie produced beautifully decorated cupcakes for the occasion, and did a great job of helping a couple of small, shy little people. Most of the photos have other people's children in them so I won't share them here, but here is a picture of the cakes:

A few snippets about our new six year old:

1) She reads! Since she got her glasses her reading has improved rapidly (she can see the letters! Duh!) and she now curls up in bed and reads to herself before settling down for the night - a mix of picture books and short chapter books.

2) She is still petite - 108cm (42.5 inches) tall, and I think weighs about 36lbs. I don't have any scales so had to extrapolate from her last weigh in. She is still light enough to pick up and carry fairly easily, which I'm sure her sisters weren't at the same age.

3) She is a bit aggrieved that she is the only child in her school peer group who hasn't yet had a visit from the tooth fairy, and doesn't even have a wobbly tooth to suggest one is imminent.

4) She likes words.Numbers not so much!

5) She is a little homebody, often preferring to stay home and play rather than go places if given the choice.

6) She is still very timid, with a list of things she doesn't do and places she won't go. Sometimes she surprises me though. She has been invited to a horse-riding party next weekend and is full of excitement at the idea of getting to ride a horse, which I thought would worry her.

7) She adores her big sisters, and is particularly close to Marie who loves to spend time with her and lavish attention on her. They often have sleepovers together, usually involving a "midnight feast" - though as experience shows that once Rose is asleep she will not wake on demand, the midnight feasts usually happen around 8.30 before she settles down for the night.

8) She loves Sylvanian Families (Calico Critters in the US , I think) and Playmobil.

9) She is learning to swim, though it is a slow process. She started swimming lessons in September and is just beginning to swim a few yards independently.

10) She hates loud noises. Loud music has her sticking her fingers in her ears, though somehow a gaggle of squealing small girls seems to be tolerable!