Nicole is FIVE!

At 5:00 this morning I was awakened with a gentle tap on my shoulder. I opened my eyes to see a big beautiful smile. Then a soft but excited voice said, "Mom, are you going to bring me breakfast in bed?" a tradition we do on birthdays. I told her it was too early and to go back up to bed. She left so quickly and obediently. I sat up thinking I should probably go make sure she went back upstairs. I came out of the room to find every light on downstairs. I wonder how long she had been awake just waiting. I turned them off and headed upstairs. When I walked in the room the light from the hallway was shining on Nicole's face. She was laying on her tummy with her hands tucked under. Her face, resting on the pillow,  was beaming! There was no way she was going back to sleep. I told her that it would be a while until breakfast and asked her if she just wanted to eat at the table instead of in bed. She thought that was a good idea and headed downstairs with me.

Meanwhile, Nicole's scampering throughout the house woke up Mary and Noah. Noah looked a little sick. I felt his forehead and checked how he was doing, after a few minutes he told me he was feeling better. I was starting to prepare my mind for a change in plans. I started breakfast and set the table. Nicole was bouncing around and the kids were kind and sharing in her excitement. I tried to keep her from waking up Aaron who would be able to sleep in a little longer since it was late start with seminary, but I don't think he got an extra minute.

Nicole ate her favorite breakfast...lots of bacon and hashbrowns with ketchup, or maybe I should say lots of ketchup with a little bit hash browns. Then she headed to open her present, which I made her wait to open until Aaron was awake. He didn't sleep long, so it was just after breakfast when she started ripping the packaging.

She was ecstatic to get her new American Girl Doll. She carried it with her, changed her clothes, combed her hair. I could tell this was definitely the perfect present. We took a few photos and sent them to her grandparents who paid for the doll. It was a little after 6 at that point. They must have thought we texted them awfully early.

Then it was the usual--bathing, dressing, lunches, backpacks, scriptures, prayer...and I quickly got dressed and dropped the kids off. We returned home and got Nikki ready for her school pictures and finished frosting the cupcakes. I ran her to preschool and returned home. Shortly after, Aaron walked in the door with a sick Noah. I was on the phone when the school called so he had to run back from work and bring him home. Noah was sick the rest of the day. I asked my mom if she could come over. Luckily he had finished his picture retake, but he was sad that he was going to miss his out on his first basketball practice later that evening and lunch with Nicole.

After preschool I took the kids to McDonald's for a birthday lunch. We grabbed Mary out of school to join us. Everywhere we went Nikki carried her new doll, Kit. She kept whispering for me to tell people we ran into about Kit and her birthday..the secretaries, teachers, aids, other moms at at the school, and even the McDonald's employee. It was so darling.

When we returned home Grandma stayed with the kids while I ran Mary to piano. Nikki played with Kit. Then Tiffany asked if Nikki could play with Luci. It was a huge blessing because that's what she wanted to do the most...play with a friend. But I couldn't with Noah being sick and Cameron still recovering. Nikki played with her for a few hours and then spent the rest of the night running back and forth to the cousins showing them all her new things. They were so sweet and bought her some extra clothes and toys for her doll.

We had to rearrange the day several times. I am hoping that we will all be healthy in time for her birthday parties this weekend.

I am very grateful for this beautiful girl and her incredible spirit. I love watching her think and imagine. She loves to learn, create, and play. The way she cares for her little baby dolls shows me what a fantastic mother she will be. She is strong and helpful. She is funny and lively. She is tender and kind. She is a beautiful blessing.

Happy birthday Nicole. So glad you are one whole hand!