Holy smokes did mommy drop the ball on your blog! I am going to make an effort to put more time into this for you and your memories! This year, you are in FIRST GRADE! You turned six a few months ago and you are all SASS!!! You like to run the ship, you demand attention. If mommy isn’t paying attention to you, you will grab my face and mov wit towards you. You will say “mommy, mommy, mommy!” Then cry if I don’t look your way when your trying to show me something. You ALWAYS want all of the attention. Eli and Deborah always say you are my favorite and that they are treated differently then you. I remind them that you are the BABY! That you need more attention, but secretly I know you do it on purpose because you want all the attention. You scream and cry when you’re out on time out. You hate being told no! You eat TERRIBLE. Your snack ideas are animal cookies and a popsicle. We fight over dinner time and vegetables ALOT! You don’t like trying new foods or things. You love crop tops and two piece swimsuits ( stop trying to be a big girl, slow down Iris). You want to be just like Deb, whatever she has you want. If she gets a dress you want the same one for you. Your personality is so strong, often to a disadvantage for mommy and daddy, because you will FIGHT to get your way! We struggled during Covid with you at home while Eli and Deb were on zoom , so we sent you to water of life for preschool because you needed time with others and time to shine with friends. You love swimming, your favorite color is purple, your favorite food is Panda Express or In N Out like your sister. You love yogurt, and cinnamon rolls, or anything sweet. You always want yo get a cake pop when you have alone time with mom. You are in kumon and getting super smart for first grade but you fight us to get your kumon done. You ride a bike like a champ, you love to get smoothies on bike rides. You are not afraid of ANYTHING. You love rollercoasters at Disneyland, and will even ride alone if you have to (like a row by yourself not without mommy). Yog are in your first year of soccer this fall and we can’t wait to see you play! I often think about what you will be like in the future, so strong willed and independent. It makes me both proud and fearful all at once. I know you will carve your own path, you just shine. You’re so unapologetically yourself. You say things without thinking them through (hello, your six) , but you are so brutally honest! You love to tattle tale on your brother and sister just to get them in trouble. You have no idea how lucky you are to have so much love around you. I always say “I wish I were Iris, she gets so much love and attention” Eli and Deborah SPOIL you! They take their turns bonding with you and showing you the true meaning of a sibling and love that comes along with that journey! Watching the three of you grow up together reminds me of exactly why I wanted children, to see that bond and watch you all grow together.
You love going to papas house and helping with the “chickens” you manhandle any pet, love on any animal! Maybe one day you will be a veterinarian, your love for animals is strong. Every time you see a dog, you ask if you can pet it. You always want to go inside petsmart ti see the animals. You try to catch lizards outside (you can’t ever catch them) . You are pretty good at catching crickets! You give patches the most love of everyone in the house.
You always find things everywhere we go. You are always scouting the ground looking for trinkets in nature or someone’s left behind goodies. You usually always score something you find. For example, at aulani you found someone’s googles at the pool and made them yours. You find money on the ground, or rings, trinkets.
You are not a good sharer. You often think Eli and Deborah have to share everything with you, but you want to share nothing with them.
You are growing up to be such an independent fun girl! You scare me like crazy though. You wander ALOT, you don’t listen, and you don’t like to hold hands when crossing the street. I often have to tell you to “hustle up, booty butt” when we are in a parking lot. Your nicknames are “tutti” “iris migillicuty” and boogaloo (which also used to be destiny’s nickname as a kid).
Your hair is WILD and curly. You wake up in the mornings looking like a homeless person. We always say you have a birds nest in your hair and you get sooo mad. You don’t like styling your hair so you often look like a mess. You fight me over what to wear and socks and shoes all the time. You cry about your underwear being itchy and make me wipe your butt with a wipe alll the time. You make me check for patches hair in your butt a lot, and most times it’s there ☹️. You pee every five seconds. I swear you hold it or pinch it early because you don’t want to miss any minutes of fun. You love life hard, enjoy every minute of it. The world is yours, you know that it’s a wonderful ride!
You broke your arm this past year, getting into the minivan on the way too Matt and Christina’s baby shower. We were running late (per usual). I was rushing us all out of the house when you raced to get into the car and fell backwards, landing on your left elbow. You fracture and dislocated it through and through. You went straight into the operating room and petrified mom and dad. The next day, Eli had his birthday party at a trampoline park (why did we take you) and you just couldn’t help but still get in on the fun (because nobody tells YOU no)! The day after you got your cast removed, you were jumping in a bounce house with Eli and he landed on your left arm. You cried and we took you into the ER again. Sure enough, you had broke you radial bone. We put you in a preformed splint and you had pain for quite some time. You are like a Gumby, always getting hurt and taking all the daredevil routes to scare mommy and daddy!
I cannot wait to watch you grow, and I have bets on what it will turn out to be like. Let’s see if I am right! Happy six years baby girl, I love you more then all the words in the dictionary.