The Peanut is Five

Well, the Peanut turned FIVE at the beginning of February but life had us a little under the weather (we all got the horrible flu and were miserably sick for a good week, it was awful).  So I am a little late to the update game -- but lucky for Serafina, her birthday turned into a birthday month!

the only picture we got on her actual birthday, resting on daddy because her fever was 103*

celebrated with cake a few days later when she was fever free (and before dad had to leave on a work trip)

finally able to celebrate with friends later in the month

Nicknames: she still calls herself Sera or Serie -- at school she goes by Serafina but most of her friends call her Sera.

Looks: still blond(ish) hair and curly but getting straighter on top and down to the middle of her back if I straighten it (but about shoulder length when curly) -- her hair lightens up a lot in the summer so now it is darker than usual since she isn't at the beach everyday.  She is still tall for her age and would prefer to wear leggings and t-shirts all day, everyday (but also loves frilly dresses -- go figure).  

Eating: still a really good eater!  She will try almost anything but particularly loves cucumbers, strawberries, peas (probably her favorite food), chicken (and any meat but she calls it all chicken), paella (she calls it orange rice and tries to order it at every restaurant we go to), olives, apples, rice... The list goes on.  While traveling she is doing better sitting and eating which makes it easier on all of us.

Health: this year has been a little rough for sickness -- last spring she got scarlet fever not once but twice (apparently she doesn't get strep throat, she just goes straight to scarlet fever).  She's had her fair share of colds/coughs and then for her birthday this year we all had high fevers and were practically dying of the flu (not really but it was miserable).  Poor Sera had a fever for a week and missed so much school and we even had to cancel her birthday party (but we did make it up later in the month).  AND she has her first loose tooth -- she isn't so sure about it but does seem happy about the "Mouse Fairy" that will come (we combined the Spanish version with the American version!). 

when you both have the flu and go to the doctors together

Sleeping: still not consistently sleeping through the night, but it is what it is -- night terrors are still becoming more rare but they do still happen, especially during times of big change (school starting or ending, traveling, visitors).  She still naps a a few times a week, especially on swim lesson days because of the time of our lessons.  We also have her nap if we do anything out in town since activities and dinners tend not to start until later at night.  

Saying: still talking all the time, seriously, she never stops talking -- ever!  Her imagination is just incredible and I love hearing the games and situations and such that she comes up with -- her current favorite thing to do is talk in a British accent for all her dolls.  It cracks me up and she is surprisingly really good at it!  Her Spanish is still progressing each day -- we find it amazing that she can switch back and forth so effortlessly.  My favorite is that she is learning so much at school that there are many words she doesn't even know in English!  We had a parent/teacher conference in the fall and her teacher was so impressed with her language skills, she said sometimes she forgets that Spanish is Serafina's second language!

Likes: lots of things -- 

- cooking and baking: every single day she asks what we are making for dinner and if we can "mix" (aka bake something), she prefers to eat the dough rather than the finished project but it sure is fun (and messy) cooking together, her favorite is to make "tick tock cookies" (aka chocolate chip cookies) with me or to cook dinner with Trevor

- swimming: still taking swimming lessons and still loving it, she is such a fish and would prefer to hang out at the bottom of the pool but her strokes are coming along and we are super impressed!

- dancing: she started ballet this year and she is in heaven, she did SO well at her winter recital (first time ever she had no stage freight) and she dances pretty much wherever she goes 

- princesses: still loves all things princess, especially all the Disney princesses -- she doesn't really have a true favorite, it changes daily

- animals: still loves animals, doesn't care what it is, she loves it -- she asks every single day if we can get a baby kitten (and every single day I say yes but that we have to ask daddy who sadly tells us no)

- Barbies: she got a huge doll house for Christmas and she loves it -- she calls it her Barbie Dream House and loves setting it up and playing with all her Barbies and dolls 

- coloring/drawing: she is constantly carrying around a notebook + pens/markers, she is always drawing or writing or designing dresses 
- Play-Doh: I finally got over my hatred of Play-Doh and we have quite the collection now.  Serafina loves playing with it and loves making Play-Doh dresses for her Barbies -- she gets insanely creative with the details, it is pretty impressive actually 

What Else: this year the transition back to school was so much better -- we have a new teacher who is amazing (seriously, she is the best).  Serafina went to the best summer camp last summer and it really helped her Spanish language skills take off.  She had SO much fun playing with the big kids each day and doing all the fun camp activities (swimming, going to the castle, going to the farm and botanical gardens, learning to sail and more)!  I just can't get over how brave she is, often being the only American is many situations and adapting and loving life.  She still loves playing with her American friends on the weekends and loves going on adventures/travels.  She asks all the time when we get to go on an airplane again.  Serafina hates change (but loves to travel).  She struggles when things are different, even if I drive a different way home from school.  She does better when things are explained to her (like when Trevor has to travel for work or when there is a break in school), but it can still cause some big meltdowns and sleepless nights for all of us.  Serafina loves SO hard, her emotions are so big -- I really think we have a little empath on hands, she truly feels the way others feel and while so amazing she has such empathy for others, it can also be challenging.  She is so kind and sweet (and spicy) and we love our Peanut so very much and she brings such joy and adventure to our lives!  

Some of my favorite pictures from the past year --