World, allow me to introduce you to the expression my parents have lovingly come to call “Lena Face.”  It’s a mixture of enthusiastic joy and world-dominating will.  Why yes, I’m screaming at a plastic penguin head in this photo.  That activity calls for “Lena Face,” as do most others, I find.  This face is actually the first thing my Mommy and Daddy see when they wake up most mornings – it’s a great way to greet the day.

I am a very expressive kid to begin with, and I’ve been wearing my emotions on my sleeve even more this month, vacillating between happy and sad and seeming to cry at the drop of a hat.  Welcome to the emotional roller coaster of parenting a girl, Mommy and Daddy!  The other day I actually cried because Mommy wouldn’t let me squeeze out the entire contents of a bottle of hand sanitizer (or as I call it, “han-ih-ti-zer”).

My bossy pants are also in full effect.  I like to utter a lot of commands, but the logic behind them is usually pretty circular (“you need to do it because you need to do it”).  My favorite subjects to boss around are Mommy, Daddy, and (you guessed it), Jack.  They are only sometimes receptive to my orders.  I guess I’ll just have to make them louder.

Current likes: chocolate (or as I call it, “chuh-lok-o-lick”)

Current dislikes: Having my orders defied

She’s a maaaaniac, maaaaniac on the floor

Mommy and Daddy recently accepted an offer to purchase our house, which means we’ll be moving to a different school district soon.  Nevertheless, I went in to my current school today to complete kindergarten assessment.  As you can imagine, this was pretty much my nightmare.  I showed up at a new place and a stranger told me to leave my mom and follow her into another room.  Not happening, lady!

However, once they relented and allowed Mommy to accompany me into the testing area, I did go and fully participate.  My favorite parts were showing off my knowledge, including letter, shape, and number recognition, and some early math concepts.  The only part I was too embarrassed to complete was the speech assessment, because they asked me to repeat silly words in public, which I politely declined to do.

My reward for participation was a trip to Dunkin’ Donuts (score!), a loot bag with a pencil and play-doh in it, and the prestige associated with kindergarten amongst the kids at my daycare.  I’m feeling like the king of the hill today.

Oh my goodness, I’m five!  At my most recent doctor’s appointment I was 43.5 inches tall and 42.5 pounds, which means I’m officially heavy enough to move out of my trusty car seat and into a booster like a big kid.

Speaking of big kids, I’ve been working really hard on my frustration tolerance, and I’ve been successful enough in managing my emotions to really enjoy things like following directions to build Lego sets and playing games like Guess Who and Slap Jack, even when I don’t win.

I’m not in TOO much of a hurry to grow up, however, and I frequently tell my Mom that I still want to marry her and continue living with my parents forever.  The thought of having to get my own house one day makes me a little sad.

At five I am extremely cerebral – a bright kid with a strong intellectual base that will help me be successful in school (on top of which, I love knowing things and being right).  I’m imaginative and creative – I love dreaming up elaborate play scenarios for my sister Lena and our “babies,” and I can be brave when I have to be for her – like when I have to save her from ants, or imaginary hot lava flows.  I can be a clown and appreciate attention when I’m on my turf and fully in my element (my crazy, hip-shaking tushie dance is one example of this), but I still have a lot of anxiety about performing in front of strangers or large groups of people.

My choice for my birthday party was to have a “Rio bowling party,” so that’s just what we did.  I had a blast (except for the part where people tried to sing to me … I had them sing to my sister instead), and Lena and I have made excellent use of the leftover flower leis, maracas, and pineapple cup favors in our latest adventures.

Current likes: My stickers and play food shaped like desserts

Current dislikes: Too much attention