Boxcars

Julia and Caroline turned six on May 17!  It was a relatively low key birthday, but a nice one.  We had a friend birthday party last year and we definitely don't do one every year.  Their birthday was on a Thursday and we were going to run a 5K on that day that is put on by my running group but in the end we decided against it.  We wanted the girls to have their special day and not have to postpone any celebrating until a later date.  We asked the girls what they would like to do for their birthday in terms of a special outing and gave them a few options.  They chose a trip to Build-a-Bear which they also did on their birthday last year as a gift from Grandma and Grandpa.  They definitely love their stuffed animals!

I left work a little early on that day and it was off to Build-a-Bear we went.  I had never been and found the whole thing pretty neat.  The accessories really weren't as pricey as I thought they might be.  The girls thoroughly enjoyed making their new friends and choosing outfits.  Afterwards we headed to Red Robin for burgers and shakes.  Although thinking back, none of us got burgers unless veggie burgers count (they have THE BEST veggie burger).

Caroline tries to decide which friend to build

Happy with their finished products - a bear and a cat

The girls wanted a unicorn cake for their birthday.  After pricing one from a woman who makes professional-looking cakes out of her home, Keith and I decided to go a different route.  We contemplated trying to make our own but it was a busy week with activities so we knew we wouldn't really have time to devote to it.  So we checked with our local grocery store and they said they could do one.  Keith and I designed the ears and horn ourselves (ice cream cone and graham crackers) since the grocery only offered plastic options for those.  We were really happy with how the cake turned out and definitely happy with the $20 price tag!

Unicorn cake and birthday girls

The girls opened their gifts after enjoying their cake and got lots of cool presents. It was a fun day! And now they are six years old, going into first grade.

Mermaid tail blankets from Uncle Jeff and Auntie Erica!

They had a great Kindergarten year.  We got nothing but good reports about them from their teacher.  They did well academically and socially.  They were in the same class this year but next year we requested that they have different teachers which honestly makes me feel a little stressed when I think about it.  They are SO close and have always been around each other.  It makes my heart hurt a little to think of them apart.  But of course, that is exactly why they need to begin learning to be independent and to begin to develop as individuals.  I think it will be good for them to have friends who can tell them apart easily too.  It will be a little harder on us with three teachers to communicate with and so forth but not a big deal.

As far as sizes, they haven't had their six year check-ups yet.

Unofficially though:

Caroline: 47 inches and about 47.5 lbs
Julia: 48 inches and about 49 lbs

Caroline and Julia are still into soccer and just finished up the spring season recently.  They played basketball this winter too (Keith was their coach!) and just finished up their first camp of the summer which was a basketball camp.  They are both athletic although they have different strengths.  Julia is a little better at soccer and basketball.  Caroline is a better runner and has already jumped off the low dive (last summer) and the high dive (this summer) at the pool. Julia hasn't done either one yet. Caroline is definitely braver.  She was also the first one to go up the chair lift at the ski resort in Ohio where we go (only 35 minutes away and a great place to learn!) and was faster to learn to ski.  But now both girls are able to go up and down the green runs by themselves. They just need help getting up on the chair lift!

B-ballers

They like to play video games now like their brother and are into Minecraft some, Mario, Legend of Zelda and other Wii games.  They have their own taste in music and like Colin they love Imagine Dragons.  We are taking all three to their first concert in a couple of weeks to see Imagine Dragons!  But they still love stuffed animals especially Beanie Boos, My Little Ponies, Hatchimals, Shopkins, and all of that fun little girl stuff.  They have two friends (Lexi and Julian) that live in houses behind ours that they play with almost every day!  One of their favorite games to play is the Packing Game where they pack up backpacks and pretend to take a trip.  Other favorites include Family (what we used to call House as kids) and Horses (a horse version of Family I think).  So make-believe games are a hit.

They like to read but so far aren't the same avid reader that Colin is.  I am thinking that they probably won't be because they always have a playmate (each other) who is also their best friend and who has the exact same interests.  But they aren't really quite ready for chapter books either yet (close but not quite) so maybe once they're a little bit more proficient it will come.

One thing I know for sure is that they are a delight.  They are eager and happy girls and it's fun to watch them embrace life and live it to its fullest.