The 6-Year-Old

Just as soon as Poppy turned 11 months, Hazel turned 6. I expect this will happen every year, and many times throughout the year, but I look at her, and am dumbfounded and in love. She is gorgeous. She is smart. She is creative. She is confident. She is curious. She is bold. She is gentle. She is loving. She is fun. She is tender-hearted. She is thoughtful. She is passionate. She is everything I want her to be, and more. She is my firstborn. She is amazing. Hazel loves loves loves to jump rope. That is her thing now, and she does it every spare moment she has. She takes her own rope to school so she doesn't have to wait a turn for the P.E. ropes at recess. She jumps running, or backwards, or on one foot, or eyes closed, or double time. She jumps inside, outside, on the way home from school. Ed and I love this obsession with a cheap, stationary, portable, adaptable form of exercise! If only we could be so inclined...

Hazel also loves school - the learning, the structure, the booming social scene. I have been sure to check with her teachers regarding her social behavior - is she kind to everyone, etc? They say she is. Here she is the morning of "Wacky Friday." It was really "Freaky Friday" on the flyer that came home but she insisted on "wacky" and we did not argue. Ginger was jealous of this occasion so decided to dress "wacky", too, for preschool.Hazel had a gymnastics party at the local gym. I'm going to write another post about our birthday parties this year, but I've got two words for you: body fluids. Luckily, all she remembers is that it was fun. A few weeks ago I chaperoned on the spring kindergarten field trip - "The Men on the Money." We visited the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, FDR Memorial and Jefferson Memorial. It was a gorgeous day, with lots of walking, and crazy flattering that she would rather sit next to me on the bus than her friends. I am cherishing these years of semi-adulation.Here's a picture of Hazel helping unload the dishwasher. Why? Because I want to show you the gosh-darn cutest shirt EVER MADE ON EARTH! You see what it is, right? A pug! My FAVORITE! And I don't know if you can tell but it has a purple tulle flower behind one ear, so you know it's a girl pug. I paid FULL PRICE at Gap Kids for this, something I NEVER do. But it was worth every penny to see Hazel in it. And then Ginger. And then Poppy.
...and grand daughters for generations...

On March 27, we did Hazel's birthday interview. Rather than transcribe it this time, though, I am posting it. I didn't like the lighting where we started so after a few questions we paused and relocated. And I couldn't immediately derive how to put them together so there are two vids.

Please note - I find the answer to the difference between boys and girls possibly most telling of the cognitive differences between ages 4 and 6. Remember Ginger's answer was something about how boys' voices are deep and girls' are high. I love Hazel's answer (remember, we are trying to be frank and forthcoming about birds & bees questions.) I love all her answers. She was so excited about this interview, looking forward to it for months since Ginger's.



And. I didn't ask her about her favorite shows to watch but she is totally obsessed with "The Mysteries of Alfred Hedgehog." I know, random. But it's a pretty good mystery show, and it's like Diego for the next-up age group. She's picked up his catch phrase: "Serious mysterious!" and both girls sing the theme song, which is pretty catchy. Also she likes the Tinkerbell movie and Madeline.