Happy 5th Birthday, Avery Claire!!

Avery Claire, today, you turn 5 years old. I absolutely cannot believe how fast 5 years have flown by. They have, without a doubt, been the best 5 years of our lives. Being your Mama is the most fun, sweetest, most precious, most challenging, and most exhausting experience of my life. I love every single second of it.

You are such a smart, funny, creative girl with the biggest imagination of anyone I know. You love to play school and restaurant. You don't miss a thing - your little eyes and ears are constantly paying attention to everything around you. I hope you keep that up in school in the years to come! You require very little rest - you have an abundance of energy! I could go on and on and on listing things about you that I love and want to remember, but I'm just going to try to list a few:

This year, you:

- became a big sister this year. I couldn't have wished for a better big sister and better helper for Bennett than you. His eyes light up when you walk into the room, and he thinks you're the funniest person around. 

- love to draw, and you wish your Mama and Daddy were better artists. You decorate your playroom door according to the season, whether it be with things you've drawn or things you've made at school or coloring pages. 

- would stay up until after midnight every night if we'd let you. You love to get in bed and watch your iPad. You very rarely fall asleep until after you've turned it off, so we have to limit your time!

- love to eat at Zaxby's, Chick-Fil-A, Pizza Hut, Captain D's, and Red Lobster. 

- love to have company that will sleep with you! Anytime someone visits, your wheels start turning to see if you can get them to sleep in your bed!

- are a wild sleeper. I make sure both sides of you is lined with pillows every night because I'm so afraid you're going roll off of the bed. 

- are not an animal lover. You really want to be, but when "real" animals come close, you back away. You were so proud of yourself for petting a goat at the zoo today! 

- would probably drink a gallon of orange-tangerine juice every day if we'd give it to you. You like water and Hi-C,, too, but your favorite is Juicy Juice Orange-Tangerine. 

- really want your hair to grow faster. You want it to be long so you can braid it over your shoulder like Elsa's {from Frozen]. 

- say "pail nolish" instead of nail polish. I never correct you. One day, you'll realize it, and you'll fix it. And I'll be a little sad. And you never want me to use "pail nolish" on you - you hate for me to paint your nails or toes. 

- are a Frozen fanatic, like all little girls your age. You also love The Lion King. I'd say your favorite show this year would have to be Good Luck, Charlie. 

- ask to wear "straight" shirts and shorts every day. By that, you mean you don't want to wear a dress or anything with ruffles. Some days you win, some days I win on that one. 

- love to help me around the house - folding towels, cleaning with Clorox wipes, etc.

- LOVE a party or a wedding/baby shower. You will talk about one and look forward to it for weeks in advance. You love to pretend you're hosting a party at home. You pay very close attention to detail - it's pretty impressive. 

- love it when we let you bathe yourself or brush your own teeth, which we do sometimes. It's hard for Mama to let go of that stuff, but I know you're growing up and you actually do a really good job! 

- love gymnastics. You learned to do a cartwheel this year. I loved how determined you were to get it. You practiced over and over at home and got better and better. 

- learned your address and how to tie your shoes. You've learned a lot of other things, too, but those things were so important to you! 

- are sometimes so shy. You're working on not being shy around people you know {like at church}. It takes you awhile to warm up sometimes. I tell you that everyone sees you dancing and singing on facebook and that they know you're not shy!

- pray the sweetest prayers at night. You say "Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. Guard me, Jesus, through the light {night}, and wake me with morning night." And then you will pray and ask God for help with whatever's going on...helping you to listen, helping Bennett to sleep good that night, helping you not to be afraid of crocodiles....

- having starting praying to God about lots of things...like getting things you want {like having someone over to play, etc}...we've had a hard time explaining to you that it doesn't always work that way, that sometimes God knows what's best for us, even if it's not what we want to happen. I never discourage you from praying, though, because I love that you feel like that's the best solution. 

- are our #1 girl. You always tell me "you're the best Mama in the whole world." And when we tell you you're the best girl, we mean it from the very bottom of our hearts. We are so very glad God chose you to be ours. If I had listed the qualities I wanted in a daughter, I'd have asked for kindhearted, funny, spunky, independent, loving, helpful..all of the things you are. I am so proud of you, Avery Claire Davis. I cherish every moment that I have with you. You are growing up so very fast, and while it's so bittersweet for your Mama, I am so proud of the sweet little girl you are becoming. You have brought more joy and laughter to us than we ever, ever dreamed possible. We love you much, more than you will ever, ever know. 

Here are some pictures from your 5th birthday. You've wanted to fly on a "aero-plane" for a few months. So, for your birthday, we bought tickets to fly to Nashville. This was the picture before we walked into the airport and learned the flight had been cancelled. My mama heart was so broken for you. 

We both cried some tears, and then you, Daddy, and I headed to Nashville to meet Mema and Bennett at the zoo. 

Aunt Steph met us for dinner. At Red Lobster, of course. 

You declared your day "the best birthday ever" that night, so we redeemed the missed flight. And we will take that flight on an "aero-plane" very soon!!!