Cora - Five Years Old

Our sweet, middle child, Cora, turned FIVE today! What is she like these days?

If Cora was an animal, she would be a worker bee. She goes to full day, Thai preschool where the production level that her teachers expect is more akin to American 1st grade. When she comes home, I ask her, "Cora, do you want to run off and play or do your homework?" "Homework!" she yells back. She contently sits at the kitchen table for 20-30 minutes, coloring, cutting and gluing, doing simple math problems, and painstakingly writing Thai letters and words that look like this: หนู

Some of her favorite activities include putting her laundry away, wiping walls with wet sponges while singing Cinderella songs, setting the table, and helping me cook. Every morning, she pulls up her bedsheet, tucks in her stuffed animals, and lays her blanket on top smoothing out all the wrinkles.

Cora eats and sleeps so much. When she is tired or hungry, all of her productive, self-sufficient energy evaporates and she crumples to the ground exclaiming, "Mommy, I don't want to do ANYTHING!" She goes from worker bee mode to sloth mode sometimes unable to even dress herself for bed.

Cora loves arts and beautiful things. She'll often disappear to another room in the house to work on a coloring book or to make a card for a family member. She plans her outfits and hairstyles days, sometimes weeks, in advance. She dresses up as a princess, Thai dancer, or ballerina every day. I taught Cora how to embroider, look at her go!

Cora loves to be silly. Her favorite word is butt in Thai "gohn." "Mommy look, there's a PRINCESS on my GOHN!" she'll yell, wearing just undies, her bottom high in the air showing off her favorite pair of undies that have Snow White on the butt. She bursts into a piercing cackle, her huge, almost black eyes gleaming and her mouth open wide showing perfect rows of tiny teeth.

Cora adores her big sister, Grace, buuut she can be a total little sister punk to her. She knows just what to say and do to burst Grace's bubble and she does it quietly provoking tears and screams. When I check in on why Grace is terribly upset, Cora has a sly, pleased with herself smile on her face.

Cora also adores her little brother, Isaiah, buuut she tries to be his little mommy. She is very fearful for him and protective, grabbing his hands or his waist and trying to move him away from danger. Isaiah usually starts fussing and crying, "No want to Doowuh!" (He calls her "doowuh"!) I often have to ensure her, "Cora, let him go, I'm watching him, I won't let him get hurt." My favorite is when she tries to carry him. He's not quite two-years-old, they are about the same size, yet she can usually get his feet off the ground.

Cora, I love and cherish you. It's so amazing to watch you grow and learn. I'm so glad I get to be your mommy!

~

Each year, on my kids' birthdays until they turn five, I write up a blog post - an attempt to capture their personalities during their little years to remember later. These are by far, absolutely my favorite posts to re-read. Here are the posts from when Cora turned four, three, two, and one.