The Zorio Family: Nora Kate is SIX

I cannot believe our one and only girl is already six! Of course, I try to soak up every minute with all the kids but with Nora Kate I think I notice the phases of things she's into/playing with even more because we are only getting to do the girly stages once. I cannot believe how much she has grown, changed, matured, and learned over the past year!

Nora Katherine Zorio turned six on August 14, 2019. This year Nora Kate started gymnastics and absolutely loved it. We are currently taking three months off gymnastics so she can play soccer, but she can't wait to get back to it! She really enjoys it and it has led to lots and lots of flipping around the house. She played soccer last fall (2018), and she is currently playing her second season right now. She's on the lime green team and they're called the Lime Lightening. Last year she was one of the younger ones on her team and this year she's one of the older ones. She's doing great! I've been so impressed already this year. In addition to gymnastics and soccer, Nora Kate has also started running with me some. She can do a mile without stopping and in under ten minutes...and without complaining (which this might be the biggest accomplishment on running over the past year-hah).

Nora Kate started kindergarten the same week she turned six! She has been looking forward to starting school for a while! She's doing the hybrid school where she will go to the building two mornings a week and we homeschool the rest of the time. Nora Kate is VERY excited about all of this. We picked out her backpack at the end of July and she has been wearing it around in excitement!

Some random things that Nora Kate has learned this year include: riding her bike without training wheels, how to make a sandwich, how to shower completely on her own without assistance (other than conditioning her curls).

Other memorable happenings from this year:

-Nora Kate flew on her first airplane. We flew from Knoxville to Baltimore. The return flight was very turbulent which she thought was fun!

-She rode on her first subway/metro. After getting caught in the new style turnstyle that pinches in from the sides she was not a fan of the subway initially, but the actual subway she loved. This was in Washinton, DC.

-Along the same lines she visited Washington, DC for the first time.

-Nora Kate modeled for the first time this year. She got to do a photo shoot of a beautiful dress back in February for Stasburg Children. She absolutely loved this and honestly so did I!

-Nora Kate sang in choir at church last year and enjoyed it. She wants to do it again this year.

-Nora Kate slept over at her friend Annie's house once this year, and this was a huge hit. She also had Annie over for a sleepover and again loved getting to do such big kid things with a sweet friend.

-Nora Kate has fished some this year, but she doesn't love it as much as the boys.

-In July Nora Kate attempting water skiing for the first time. Although it was unsuccessful, I was very proud of her for giving it a try.

-Nora Kate has also become an even stronger swimmer than ever. We have been swimming about 4 days a week all summer long and she's like a mermaid.

-Nora Kate still loves to bake and is always thrilled to help in the kitchen with me.

-She did her first ever day camp this summer. In May we gave the kids a list of camps to choose from. Nora Kate selected Art Camp which was perfect for her. She went four afternoons one week and made some really awesome art projects. She absolutely loved this whole experience.

-Along those lines NK still enjoys art, coloring, painting, etc.

-Nora Kate helped me to plant a backyard flower garden in the Spring and has enjoyed taking care of it this year.

-Nora Kate visited her first water park this year. At the beginning of August we went to Point Mallard Water Park, and she loved all the water slides....and EVEN DID THE HIGH DIVE!!!! I could.not.believe.it!

Other random facts about our sweet six year old girl:

-Nora Kate has been wanting to have her ears pierced for almost an entire year. We told her when she turned six. So after her birthday party we drove to Claire's at Bridge Street where she was braver than I had ever imagined and got her ears pierced. She selected pearls for her first earrings because she wanted "to be like Momma"-my sweet girl!

-Although all three boys have always called me Mommy, NK has always called me Momma and this hasn't changed. When she writes my name she writes Mommy, but she calls me Momma...so funny, sweet, and I love that she calls me what she wants-I just love it.

-I always say that NK and Carter are as thick as thieves. These two can get in to much mischief and silliness together. They're two peas in a pod. They definitely have a special relationship since they're so close in age. I love watching them together. She has a sweet relationship with all her brothers, and perhaps she and Dawson get a long the best with the least amount of conflicts, she's kind and helpful with Clayton, but Carter and NK can laugh at nothing together for hours! They both love fun and silliness. People still ask me if they're twins...I can actually see it more now that ever before because she has gotten so much taller lately and they aren't too, too far apart in height now.

-Nora Kate's hair is still perfectly curly and dries that way without me doing anything much too it. We love her curls and she does too. Her hair has gotten so so long and still maintains the curls even with the weight of the length.

Nora Kate still has a very sweet and loving personality. She is thoughtful and gives great hugs. Nora Kate loves to make things for others, and she is enjoying getting new responsibilities now that she's a little older. Nora Kate is a total Daddy's girl-she would pick going or doing anything with Daddy over me if given a choice. She also has some sass. She is so used to playing with her brothers that she's perfectly comfortable playing with boys or girls when she's at church or out other places to play with others.

We love, love, love our sweet, kind-hearted, compassionate, spunky, funny, loving six year old Nora Kate!

Back at the very end of July when Nana and Grandad came for a visit they brought her birthday gifts so they could celebrate with her and watch her open them. This was great!

Here she is opening her gifts from Nana and Grandad...she got her first Wellie Wisher Doll-Camille, and she was oh so excited! This has launched her into full Wellie Wisher craze and we have been reading all the books we can find. We found Wellie Wishers she can do on her tablet and a Wellie Wisher show. She loves the dolls and reading the books the most though!