6 years old!!

So, Ellie woke up shortly after 6 am this morning and walked into our room and the first thing she said was "I'm 6!". Approximately two hours later she had opened her birthday presents and was looking forward to her cousin, Leah, coming over to play.

This year Ellie got a Madame Alexander doll, which has become an annual tradition now. This year it is a doll that is holding a Hello Kitty. She also got an MP3 player. John bought it a few days early and loaded some music on it so that it was ready to go. I hope she really gets hooked on it. I would like for her to listen to more music and this would be a great way to introduce her to different styles of music. Austin really likes the MP3 player, too, and so far Ellie is doing well at sharing it. I figure that won't last long.

We had a busy day - lunch at Raising Cains, playing at Chuck E. Cheese's, and pizza and cake with the cousins. By the end of the day, Ellie could barely keep her eyes open - all the while insisting that she was NOT tired.

It is so hard to believe that she is 6. When people tell you that "it goes so fast", it is true. She is pretty much too big to pick up anymore, even though I do my best to pretend that she is not. At church last Wednesday, I picked her up and held her during some of the songs. She was heavy, but I loved it. I know that the moments where I can hold her are slipping away. My baby has grown up - whether I like it or not.