Ella is SIX!

How have the last six years gone so fast?! This girl is no longer a little kid, but a big kid with a big personality to match! Ella was so excited about her birthday this year and wanted involved in every single detail. I had to do a few things without her around, or else it might've been a little over the top. Luckily, she had a GREAT time and was so happy to get to celebrate with friends, old and new!

We had a family party 2 days before her birthday and enjoyed our cookie cake tradition. So yummy!

Then we had her friend party the day before her actual birthday.

She had so much fun getting to see everybody. And of course, loved that they were all there to celebrate her. Ha! She was a FANTASTIC hostess and made sure that everybody knew where to get their shoes.

Seriously, such a happy girl!

Ella loves to have fun and turns as much as she can into some sort of game or race. She has a natural passion for leading and taking charge, which can sometimes be hard when she feels like she can take charge at school or at home. Her reading skills just keep getting better and better. It's fun to watch her sound out a word and then excited when she realizes that she can read it! So far though, she doesn't have a love for reading.... but I'm hoping that'll change as it continues to get easier and easier for her. Ella does a good job with addition and we are usually pretty impressed with her ability to think quick. (She definitely doesn't get that from her momma! Ha!) She can tie her shoes and loves to make us breakfast (toast) on Saturday mornings for breakfast.

She has such an outgoing personality and loves to meet new people. Her passions lately have been building with blocks, writing, drawing, and singing. She loves to use her hands to create things with blocks... and has for a long time. It's fun watching her focus on something so intently. Thanks to Kindergarten, she loves to write stories, cards, and anything that she can think of. It's sweet to see the sentences that she jots down on random pieces of papers, or the chalkboard wall. And it's even sweeter when the words aren't actually spelled right. That might be my favorite part! She loves to draw and has been big into drawing our family lately. And singing is something that normally just happens in the car, along with the radio. She tunes us at all out belts out the words. I've been trying to decide when to get her started in some sort of musical activity, but don't want to push anything quite yet.

Ella, I am so proud of you. You are a great friend and have such a big heart. Your spirit is contagious and your love for life makes me so happy. We definitely don't always see eye to eye and we butt heads often, but I'm thankful to be your mommy. I know that you were created with such a big purpose. You are determined, stubborn, and have such a passion for others, that I know you are going to be a world changer. Happy 6th Birthday to you!!