Charlotte Jane is FIVE

How did this happen?!  She promised me she would cancel her birthdays!!!  Brace yourself as I look back at Charlotte from 4 to 5....I have SO many pictures of her!!  And seriously, can you blame me?!

 

What I want to remember about Charlotte at 5:

• I am mildly obsessed with this child.  I assume most moms feel this way about their "baby?" But I seriously can't get enough of her.  Even when she's being naughty or annoying, I can kind of just laugh it off because she's too cute!!  I know this will probably come back to bite me (as Brian keeps reminding me), but I can't help it.  She is my baby, and I'm trying to soak up all the time I have left while she's still "little."  
• Her hair!!!  Can you believe the difference between the first and last picture?!  Wow. However, the longer it's gotten, the less curly it is.  Sad!  I'm afraid if I cut it, there won't be any curl left! Oh and she is my first child to cut her own hair!!  Just about a month ago!  What in the world?! A big old chunk right in front.  I found it stuffed in the garbage can.  After it's taken her this long to grow actual hair, she whacks a chunk off?!  Weird.  Luckily, you can hardly notice,  and her hair is so cute!
• She is hilarious.  Seriously.  The stuff she comes up with!  I always say I need to start writing it all down, but of course I don't.  And that sassy little attitude.  Aubrey and Carson keep telling her to stop "acting like a teenager."  But she definitely keeps us all laughing!!
• She LOVES her sister!!  Aubrey is so good to her, and Char loves it.  They have a very sweet relationship.  Sometimes I have to get Aubrey to convince Charlotte to do what's she's supposed to.
• She (mostly) loves her brother!  Of course she loves him, but they are a little too alike to get along as well as Aubrey and her.  Carson doesn't quite have the patience or the age gap to realize that he needs to treat her a little differently.  Or something.  We call her "baby Hulk" because she can exhibit some real Carson/Hulk-like behaviors.  However, she is good about going into her room to calm down, and almost always just comes out when she's done throwing her fit.
• She is my buddy.  We shop, eat lunch together, play, and just hang out.  She is truly fun to have around!  She's a great shopper, and is just real easy to take places.  I'm not lying or exaggerating when I say I'm going to be so sad when she's in school more!  Have I mentioned I want to freeze time?!  And even though I know she'll love going to school every day, I do think she'll miss hanging with Beth and me and going to lunch at the "usu" (aka the usual, Chick-fil-a).  
• She is smart.  Her vocabulary amazes everyone.  From a very early age, she just always talked like she was an adult.
• She is SO excited to start Kindergarten.  She keeps telling me, "It'll be ok."  And I am excited for her (I promise)!  I know she will love it, and she's ready for it.  She will definitely miss having her cousin Isla in her class.  She LOVES Isla and they are such good little friends.  We are going to have to make a real effort to make sure they still see each other often.
• She has so many nicknames!  In no particular order...  Char, "Shar," Bunny, Chaz, Chazzy, Chevans, Nugget, Charlie Bell, Chimichanga, Biscuit, Chazzelton, Charles, Chizzle, Cheeto, Chizzly Chaz, and Squirt.
• Charlotte loves; playdates, art projects, all things princess and especially Frozen, sleeping in Aubrey and Carson's room on the weekends, dancing and singing, opening bottles for people, gymnastics, making people laugh, gum, wearing dresses, helping me make dinner, her baby cousin Bennett, being in charge, the radio, wearing my make-up, shoes that she doesn't have to wear socks with, and her family.

We love you so much, Charlotte Jane!  I can't even imagine our family without you.