Cora 5 years

Happy Birthday to Cora! We celebrated Cora tonight with our friends, the Stephens. Their five children (mostly grown) were all home for Christmas -- add in our four, and it was a rowdy dinner :)

Cora has grown up so much in the past year! We are casually doing "Pre-K"at home this year, and her class at First Friends is a little more academically-oriented this year, as well. She loves to learn, and often asks for her own work when Jonah is doing things for school.  Math and coloring/crafts are some of her favorites, but she also likes to work on handwriting/pre-writing and is learning to read. Cora loves structure and schedules and checking things off the list!

The girls' usual post during Jonah's school time...
...is hovering right over him while he works!

Cora loves a buddy, and is game for almost anything, if she can do it WITH someone. She dotes on Levi, and has taken to carrying him around. Her favorite method is to stick her arms straight out like a fork lift and hook him under the armpits from behind. Makes Mom a little nervous...  But its also helpful when he is getting into something and I can't get to him right away.

She and Esther are buddies, and they have gotten in lots of playtime this past semester while I do school work with Jonah, take care of Levi, and generally keep things running around here. 

Cora continues to be very organized, thoughtful and helpful - as she has been from a very young age. If you are missing something, she can probably find it. She knows who is supposed to be where, and when. She's great at setting and clearing the table, emptying the dishwasher, dressing herself, folding her clean laundry and lots of other small tasks. She is very observant and picks up on routines and procedures very quickly. When our Christmas cards arrived in the mail last month, I was rendered useless by mastitis, so Cora stuffed all the envelopes for me, and even helped me with the labels and stamps.

Cora continues to enjoy gymnastics, and its been fun to watch her as she progresses. She is in a class that meets twice per week, but would love to go every day. Sometimes, she hosts classes in our living room :)

Cora is tender-hearted, which can sometimes lead to hurt feelings in this very energetic, loud family. She is also sensitive to feeling left out or as though she is "missing out". She reminds me to set aside my agenda sometimes and just be with my people. She loves to help me cook, though she remains a pretty picky eater. When she gets a special treat or snack she does enjoy, she will eat it painstakingly slowly, savoring every bite. Except berries - that girl can down a flat of raspberries in about 30 seconds!

We love the girl Cora is growing into! Can't wait to see what year SIX brings :)