5 Going on 25.
Thanks, Roy, for emailing me the picture!
(Click for larger image)
My 5-year-old niece Summer spent this past weekend with us and it always amazes me how she’s not really a toddler anymore. Instead, she’s like this miniature grownup. Her and Kayla both. The conversations the two of them have together are really quite amusing.
Here are a few snippets of my favorites from this one weekend:
K: Summer, did you know you’re part of my family?
S: Really??
K: Yes, because my dad is your dad’s brother.
S: Ohhhh… because they’re both silly??
K: NO!!
(Kayla is laughing obnoxiously and matter-of-factly.)
K: It’s because they both have the same truck!!
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This one needs a little background. I took Summer to the potty to go “number two”. After wiping her butt and getting her all situated, I helped her wash her hands. After I hand her the paper towel to dry her hands, she looks up at me all confused.
S: Aren’t you going to wash your hands, Auntie Gemma?
G: Well, I just washed my hands with you. Do you think I need to wash them again?
S: Wellllll… probably.
G: Why is that?
S: Because sometimes when I wipe my butt after I go “number two”, I get poop on my thumb.
Needless to say, I washed my hands again. How could I argue with that?!
Read MoreSeems Like Just Yesterday…
Kayla Joy Gozum… you’ve turned 5 years old. It’s official. You are a big girl now and the epitome of what I would imagine a real princess is like down to your purse and high heels.
As you continue to grow up, there will always be those little things that I’ll never forget about you.
I’ll never forget how you looked after your first surgery. I’ve never seen a newborn with a cast before.
I’ll never forget that you were not a friendly baby. Out of the entire bunch, you were the hardest to convince that I am the greatest auntie in the world.
But my mission was eventually accomplished and therefore, I’ll also never forget that you were the one who decided there should be an Auntie Gemma Day. (June 11th, for those of you who don’t know.)
I’ll never forget your obsession with Target, shoes and purses. How can I forget — I’ll be paying off “shoe & purse debt” for a while.
I’ll never forget that for your 5th birthday, we let you choose any restaurant for dinner and you picked McDonald’s. And I’ll never forget that it gave me the runs.
I’ll never forget how you can’t separate “No way, Jose” and “What-EVER” but instead say “What-EVER, Jose”.
I’ll never forget how we were racing your dad and Steven on our way to church this morning and, after Auntie Gemma whooped both their butts, you started screaming “We’re drifting, we’re drifting!” Do 5-year-olds even know what drifting is??
I’ll never forget how you say vanilla like “va-lil-la”.
I’ll never forget that you know (and love) the lyrics “I Like Big Butts and I Cannot Lie…”
I’ll never forget when you were going through your polite phase and were apologizing for everything. We tried our best to instill a more balanced level of “politeness”, but instead got you saying “Sorry I said sorry” over and over and over and over and over and over…
I could go on and on, really.
There is one thing I never want you to forget, too. Your faith. Currently, you scream “Thank you, Lord!” whenever we put Totino’s Pizza Rolls in our shopping cart. Something so simple yet your gratefulness is humbling. As you get older, remember that He really is to thank for so many things in your life. Not just Pizza Rolls.
Oh, and never forget that your big brothers love you. Despite all the teasing, name-calling, and “picking on”, there is no doubt in my mind that they would “drive” you to school on your new Princess bike with pink streamers and all… just like your dad did for me when I was your age. Cherish those relationships because one day you can also be the world’s greatest auntie to Steven, Jacob, and Timmy’s kids.
Happy birthday, babygirl. We’re all so proud of you and love you so much.
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