Dear Emmi,

This last week you turned 6.  It still feels like yesterday that I found out I was finally getting a baby girl, and I was over the moon!  I was starting to worry that I would never get one.  Your Dad always wanted a daughter too, and I think he was hoping your big brothers were girls.  We wouldn't trade them of course, but it just shows how much we really wanted you in our family and how happy we were that day.  Your Dad is the one who named you too.  We had some friends just after we were married and living in Cedar City that had the cutest little baby girl named Emmy.  After that, he wanted an Emmi too.  I think your name fits you perfectly.

You are just finishing up Kindergarten, and are quite the little social bee.  All I hear from Mrs. McFarland is that she sees "the back of your cute curlies" quite a bit.  You love to talk to friends and have many in your class.  You did struggle a little bit with your reading at the beginning of the year and you had me and Dad worried.  However, it clicked about halfway through the year, and I am amazed at all the words you know.  You also got your Dad's and big brother Keaton's math gene too, and have surprised your teacher at how well you are picking up addition.

Like I said, you are a little social bee.  You are blessed to have 2 friends live super close, Mary across the street and and Rylee next door.  Every day after lunch, even before I am finished eating you say, "Bye Mom, I am going to Mary's!"  I have had to start to cut back on days you can play with friends because you would play every day if I let you, and while I work in the next room, you make a huge mess.  I am glad you play so well with friends though, and I love listening to you and the girls play dolls in your little voices.

For your birthday, you wanted an "American Girl" doll, but really what you wanted a Target doll, and I was very excited to buy one for you.  I always wanted an American Girl doll when I was a little girl.  You had to go to school on your birthday and I let you play with friends after lunch.  Later that night we celebrated both you and Jack's birthday at the Brick Oven.

Then, just yesterday, we had your first friend birthday party, a little "tea" party for girls in the neighborhood.  We had your Capri Sun "tea, little heart sandwiches, played Bingo, had a scavenger hunt, and a few other games.  I think it was a success.

Emmi, you are my little sweetheart and like I said, I am so grateful to have you as a daughter.

Love, 
Mom