Penelope's Birthday Photography

On Monday Penelope turned five-years-old!  That morning we went out to take pictures.  She did such a great job.  I think because I told her we could play on the toys that were at the same park when we finished.  It was much easier then doing Leon's.  The hardest part was getting a genuine and not fake smile out of her.  But she was trying so hard I couldn't complain.

Penelope can at times be very shy.  Often she will not talk to grown ups if she doesn't feel comfortable.  Even ones that she sort of knows.  New situations and people she doesn't know are hard for her.  But once she gets a chance to warm up and get to know people she does fine.  She has a hard time speaking in primary, although she is getting better at that.  And it's not uncommon for her to whisper something in my ear that she wants me to ask or say to another adult.

Penelope is always thinking about others and what they like.  For example I was giving all the kids otter pops and I make them choose with them behind my back so they don't fight over colors.  Scarlett picked the purple one and cried and cried because she wanted pink.  Penelope usually wants the pink one too.  But the second she got it (she was lucky and did get the pink one) she handed it over to Scarlett and said she would trade.  She is always thinking about things like that.

Or if they are fighting over a toy.  Often it is Leon or Scarlett taking something from her, I will step in and give the toy back to her.  But once I do she just gives it to the other person.  I think she likes making people happy.

Penelope got a bunch of new clothes for her birthday and really wanted to wear some of them for the pictures.  So these next few are with the outfit she picked out and loves.

Penelope doesn't sleep as long as the other kids do.  I guess everyone is just different.  She is wide awake in the mornings before everyone else and she never takes a nap.  It works out ok because she is also fine with playing alone.  She spends the nap time in her room making cards and playing dress up or with her dolls.  Rarely does she get upset or complain that it is taking a long time.

Penelope has started to get quiet the attitude.  I think she just wants to be a bit too independent for her age.  Lots of the time when I tell her to do something she makes a really mean face at me and will grunt.  Or she will just stand there and say she isn't going to do it.  We are working on it, but she can be stubborn at times.

This next picture is of her upset face.  It isn't the mean, mad at you face, it is just the I'm a little mad at you face.  I wanted to include it because with kids not everything is all smiles.

Penelope is smart.  She picked up reading so quickly and she just has this way of remembering things that happened a long time ago.  As a parent this is hard because she remembers things that I said that I don't remember.  Sometimes it isn't a big deal like, "Mom yesterday you said we could have applesauce for lunch today."  Other times it will be a bit harder like how on her birthday she got upset because we didn't initially go to the park.  I was so confused as to why she was upset because we did other fun things and then she told me that a long time ago I told her we could go to the park on her birthday.  So we did these pictures at a park.

She is also the child who asks tricky questions about what happens when we die and why does Jesus let us get hurt.  I can tell by her in depth questions that she really thinks about things.

We went down to the waterfront and it was so windy it was hard to take pictures without her hair blowing everywhere.

Penelope is very into the usual girly things.  She like to have her nails painted and wants lipstick all the time.  She lets me do her hair, although often we don't have much time.  She is so into her clothes and what she wears is important to her.  I try to help guide her but still let her choose.  She has been wearing a crown nonstop all week and I've just gone with it.

Penelope is such a great sister and she helps me out with the kids a lot around the house.  I love her and am so happy she is in our family!