Samantha At 5

I remember thinking when Samantha was a couple months old that I only had to make it until she was 5 and then she'd go to kindergarten.  By the time she got a little bigger and was more interactive I wasn't in such a hurry for her to reach this milestone. Now I look back and cannot believe how fast the last five years have gone. It's been fun to watch Samantha grow into such a smart, sweet girl. Here's a look at who she is at 5:

• She loves animals...they can be stuffed or real, it doesn't matter.
• She is developing a bit of an attitude.
• She loves to swim, and is actually pretty good for not having swimming lessons. She can currently swim about 15 ft without assistance (although it resembles a cross between a dog and actual swimming)
• She is willing to share with anyone except Paul. This probably is because he is always taking things from her.
• She LOVES to go to garage sales. Every Saturday this summer has been spent in search of a deal. She saves her money so she can buy what she wants.
• She hasn't shown too much interest in learning to read or learning her letters so it may be awhile before she is able. She does know all the letter names and many letter sounds, but she really has ZERO interest in learning more.
• She loves having people over and playing with friends.
• She is really excited for her sister to get here. We talk a lot about babies and what they can do. We also talk about what she'll be able to do and how she can help.
• She likes to help Paul with his speech, but it frustrates him to have her involved.
• Her favorite shows/movies are Phineas and Ferb, anything Barbie, Godzilla, and Strawberry Shortcake.
• She likes to play with Polly Pockets, Barbie, small pretend animals, and Littlest Petshop.
• She can't ride a two wheeler yet because we haven't had a chance to teach her. Monument is just too hilly so we'll need to take her to a parking lot. Since I can't even see my toes anymore, bending down to hold on to her bike isn't an option so we're waiting for Adam to have some time.
• She loves to wear skirts/dresses. She won't fight me on wearing shorts but she really dislikes jeans.
• Her favorite color is purple.
• She is always very complimentary to people. She tells me every day that I am the best mom of all the moms and that she loves me more than anything. 
• She is finally getting into arts/crafts and is enjoying coloring. It is definitely nice at church that she likes to work in her coloring books.