Annual Update: Alaina, Age 5

I'm a little behind in my annual updates on my kids.  After all Lainey's birthday was in early September. 

Anyway, Alaina's stats:

Height 40.5 inches (15%)

Weight 36.3 pounds (26%)

School pic (taken by the amazing Danelle Empey):

School: Alaina is attending preschool two days a week and loves it (I love it as well).  She seems particurly taken with her science teacher/class and the fire drill from two months back because that's what she talks about most (I get a play-by-play recap of the fire drill at least once a week).

Extracurriculars: She took a soccer class in the fall and will soon finish up her dance class (just in time for the holiday craziness).  The dance class has been particularly fun.  I have fond memories of her teaching Drew to do jazz hands, pretending to be a prima ballerina, counting to three in French, and begging for point shoes (okay, that last one wasn't so fun).  As this semester has been winding down she has started to lose steam.  On day she whined that she didn't want to go class.  She said, "I can't remember all the steps and Ellie keeps falling over!" (hehe, sounds about right).

Style:  Lainey still mostly sticks to dresses, with an occasional leotard day, but she has warmed up to pants a bit (meaning she doesn't cry anymore when she has to wear them).  Of course Lainey somehow manages to put her clothing on backwards about half the time (and also inside out for about half of that).  She also wants to wear things that I think are a little too grown up: makeup (I let her for Halloween and she didn't like it as much as she thought she would), high heels, and pierced ears.  She regularly points out little girls wearing heels and/or pierced ears as evidence that she should be allowed to do the same.  Too bad for her that Drew and I set the age for piercing at 12.

Speech: Laina leaves out the S sound whenever S is followed by a consonant (top this intant!).  Sometimes it's confusing.   Last month she asked me what "tile" was and I described flooring for while before I realized what she was trying to say was style as in hairstyle. Recently heard from Lainey: "plate mattress" instead of place mat.

Family - Lainey really enjoys her sisters.  She is a good playmate with Lizzie and Ellie, and, more than her other sisters, Alaina wants to hold Emma.  When the baby spits up on her she doesn't seem to mind much.

Birthday Interview:
Favorite color - purple and blue
Favorite healthy food - broccoli
Favorite treat - candy
Favorite animal - horses and elephants
Favorite thing to do - make up stories
What do you want to be when she grows up - a person who is in charge of sign up sheets
Who do you like to spend time with - daddy
What are you really good at -  I'm getting good at goalie
Best time of day - when daddy is home from work
What makes you laugh - funny faces
What are you afraid of - I'm not afraid of anything
What do you like to do with your family - act out the nativity (be the angel), go with dad somewhere
What do you love to learn about - God
Where do you like to go - Chuck E Cheese
If you had one wish what would it be - That I could go on a Daddy-Daughter date with daddy