The World According to Ellie (5 years old)

In case you're keeping track of how much this lovely little girl has grown, here is The World According to Ellie at 4 years old.

My name is LORI-ELLE VINCEN(t)

I am FIVE YEARS OLD AND I'M IN KINDERGARTEN ALREADY!!! THE FIRST RULE OF KINDERGARTEN IS TO HAVE FUN! THE SECOND RULE IS TO RESPECT YOUR TEACHER AND DON'T INTERRUPT. I FORGET WHAT THE THREE-D RULE IS.

This is how I write my name:

This is what I look like:

I have DIRTY BLONDE HAIR. THAT MEANS IT'S DARK BLONDE BUT NOT REALLY DIRTY. I have brown eyes and have lost one tooth!

I even have my ears pierced!

The people in my family are  MOMMY, DADDY AND ADD-A-LINE.  SOMETIMES MY FAMILY IS ALSO LOTS OF PEOPLE LIKE AUNT ERIN, AUDREY AND CLIVE.  AND GRAMMA.  AND NANA.  AND GRANPA.  AND GRANPA LOU.  AND GRANDMOMMY JEANNE.... 

This is what my family looks like:

I love my mommy because SHE GIVES ME LOTS OF LOVEY KISSES.

I love my daddy because HE GIVES ME LOTS OF TICKLES AND WHEN I HUG HIM IT MEANS I WANT TO BE TICKLED!

I love my sister because SHE GIVES ME LOTS OF HUGS AND SHE THINKS I'M FUNNY.  I LIKE TO MAKE HER LAUGH.

My favorite toy is BUN BUN. I'M NEVER EVER GOING TO FORGET HER!!! TELL ME A STORY ABOUT BUN BUN WHEN I WAS JUST A BABY...

My favorite friends are BRYNN AND  IZZY. I CAN ONLY PLAY WITH BRYNN FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES IN THE MORNING UNTIL SHE GOES TO HER KINDERGARTEN. THEN I CAN PLAY WITH IZZY UNTIL BRYNN COMES BACK IN THE AFTERNOON.

My favorite thing to do is LEARN AT SCHOOL. I LOVE TO LEARN HOW TO READ!! I CAN READ ALL OF THE WORDS. REALLY! I CAN!

The best things about me are I'M TICKLISH, I LAUGH GOOD AND  I LOVE DADDY AND I LIKE TO HUG HIM.

I'm good at playing "Mary Had a Little Lamb" on my saxophone, doing flips in the water & swinging on monkey bars.

I'm especially good at writing my words all by myself!

My favorite color is PINK THEN PURPLE THEN BLUE

My favorite food is MAC & CHEESE AT RED ROBIN. MY FAVORITE DESSERT IS PUMPKIN APPLE BROWNIE SURPRISE!

My favorite place to go is WHAT'S THE PLACE WHERE WE GET TO COOK OUR OWN FOOD? (Melting Pot)

My favorite game is TAG THE MONKEY!!

My favorite animal is A GIRAFFE AND HER NAME IS SPOTTY!

My favorite magical creature is A UNICORN AND HER NAME IS FLOWER! SOMETIMES HER NAME IS SNOWFLAKE IF SHE'S A WINTER UNICORN. HER NAME IS FLOWER IF SHE'S A SPRING UNICORN.

My favorite song is THE RAINBOW SONG THAT GOES LIKE THIS: WE'RE A RAINBOW MADE OF CHILDREN. WE'RE AN ARMY SINGING OUR SONG. THERE'S NO WEAPON THAT CAN STOP US. RAINBOW LOVE IS MUCH TOO STRONG."

My favorite book is ALL THE BOOKS AT MY SCHOOL LIKE "12 LITTLE PIGGIES ARE HUNGRY." WE GO TO THE LIBRARY EVERY THURSDAY SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE BRING MY BOOSTER SEAT OK? WE GET TO PICK OUT OUR VERY OWN BOOKS EVERY TIME!!! BUT DON'T WORRY, MOMMY. THE BOOKS STAY AT SCHOOL SO WE DON'T LOSE THEM.

My favorite weather is WINTER TIME BECAUSE I LOVE TO PLAY IN THE SNOW. IT'S FALL TIME NOW AND THAT MEANS WINTER IS NEXT! I'M SOOO ESS-CITED!!!  I LIKE WINTER THE BEST BECAUSE WE GET TO SLED DOWN THE HILLS!!!

When I grow up I want to be A BALLERINA TEACHER AND I WANT TO TEACH MY KIDS HOW TO BALLERINA DANCE. I WANT TO BE A MOMMY AND I WANNA HAVE 5 KIDS!

I'M GOING TO MARRY MICHAEL WHEN I GET OLDER. HE DOESN'T REALLY WANT TO MARRY ME RIGHT NOW BUT THAT'S OK BECAUSE I'M NOT READY. MAYBE HE'LL BE READY WHEN I GO TO SCHOOL WITH HIM AGAIN IN FIRST GRADE.

My favorite place to visit is GRANPA LOU'S HOUSE AND PAPPY'S HOUSE BECAUSE I LOVE GRANDPA LOU AND PAPPY!!!

The most beautiful place I've ever seen is INSIDE DA CHURCH WITH CHURCH WINDOWS.

I would like to help the world by TELLING THEM "SAFETY FIRST!" AND RESPECT EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING. IT MEANS RESPECT THE PERSON AND RESPECT THE TOYS. BE NICE TO OTHER PEOPLE AND BE GENTLE WITH ALL THE TOYS.

My thoughts on God are: I THINK THAT GOD IS IN THE STARS SO WHEN WE FEEL ALONE WE CAN GO TO THE STARS AND SEE HIM. I LEARNED THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT SIMBA'S DADDY TOLD HIM (from The Lion King). SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE IN GOD AND SOME DO NOT AND THAT'S OK. I DECDIDED THAT I DO BELIEVE IN HIM.

My thoughts on Santa & the Tooth Fairy: I THINK THAT SANTA IS REAL BECAUSE HE LEFT ME PRESENTS LAST YEAR. FAIRIES AREN'T REAL. THE ONLY FAIRY THAT IS FOR REAL IS THE TOOTH FAIRY. I BELIEVE IN THE TOOTH FAIRY BECAUSE I WANT TO BELIEVE SHE IS REAL. IF I DON'T BELIEVE SHE IS REAL THEN SHE WON'T BE REAL AND THAT WILL MAKE HER SAD.

How long did it take for Rapunzel to grow her hair out? 50 HUNDRED YEARS!

How many people are in the entire world? 50 HUNDRED!!!

What we will remember most about Ellie at this age is...
In the last year something just clicked in your head.  It's as though there is now no limit to the things you can learn and you are doing so at an exponential rate.  Whether it's writing, reading, biology, or even how the world works around you, you amaze us with your new knowledge every day.  You like to remind people that "I know better than you because I'm in Kindergarten now."  You're so proud of your achievements, as you should be, and you say your favorite thing about school is how much learning you do.  If there was one single thing that you are most proud of yourself for, it's that you are always coming up with good solutions.  When you list the people you love, you remember to include yourself and tell us that it's ok for you to love yourself because you're a very nice person.  When I ask you what you love most about yourself, there is no hesitation.  "I love that I can always come up with new ideas."  Yes, Ellie, we love that too.  I love that you know that if something is difficult, you just have to keep practicing or think of a different solution.  My hope for you is that this will remain a strength in your character and that you will always have the love and belief in yourself that you do right now.  You continue to be a good sister and I'm so blessed to have two girls who love each other so much.  It still amazes me when I see the two of you reach for each other in need of comfort or support.  Your best friend is still Brynn, though Izzie now takes a close second place because Izzy is in your Kindergarten class while Brynn is just with you before and after her Kindergarten.  This will be the last year you're with Brynn and I try not to think too much about how difficult next year might be for you.   I'm sure you'll handle it with grace and view it as yet another challenge that just needs a good solution.  And you're good at coming up with solutions, aren't you?

You know how life works: I LIKE TO PLAY WITH MYSELF AND I LIKE MYSELF BECAUSE I'M WONDERFUL JUST LIKE A PRINCESS. NOT A PRETEND PRINCESS. A PRINCESS FOR REAL LIFE.

Ellie if you keep that kind of confidence, then there is no limit to the places you will go!