Doodle's "Golden" Birthday

Today Doodle turns five!

I love this spunky little girl who just takes in new experiences with wonder and excitement. In honor of this "golden" day, here are 5 factoids about Doodle:

1. She loves (LOVES!) to dance and sing... rarely to a tune that you've heard before, usually a self-composed ditty. She lives for camp, and Team Time, when she can be on the stage with her friends singing, dancing, and just being herself! The world is her stage and she's in the spotlight... even when there's not an audience nearby!

D on stage with her cousins, B and A

2. She is a die hard Washington Capitals fan. The ONLY gift she requested from us is a Kuznetsov jersey. She knows all of his stats, stalks him on Instagram (she knows he's married, thinks his wife is beautiful, and loves their puppy, too!), watched his ice bucket challenge ten times, and is counting down the days until the season starts. 

D opening up her present, a Kuzy jersey, this morning!

3. She may be dressed in Lilly and have a pink bedroom, but this girl adores Star Wars. She's moved on from Disney princesses and is all about Leia. Hubby introduced her to the originals last December and she fell in love... she gave him Jabba's Sand Skiff Lego set for his birthday and he gave her Mos Eisley's Cantina Lego set for hers. She's on an eternal hunt to find and befriend Wickett and named her one-clawed lobster Luke Skywalker (before she ate it). Just don't tell her about the new movies... she doesn't know that they exist and Daddy would like to keep it that way.

Fighting Darth Vader at Jedi Training Academy in March

4. She's gotten to be an extremely picky eater... PB&J, ABC Soup, plain pasta, pizza, Happy Meals and shellfish. Yes, shellfish. This chick loves crab and lobster more than anyone I know (including her Maine and Maryland-based families). She won't eat a crabcake or lobster roll... she has to pull it from the shell herself. Finally, she and Daddy actually name their lobsters before eating them (see #3).

Birthday Lobsters in Vinalhaven

5. Doodle is very perceptive to others' needs and feelings. About a month ago we were at the mall and I realized that we had to buy Gigi a gift for her 96th birthday. I was perusing the usual scarves and accessories when Doodle said, "Let's get her a bracelet. She loves all of her bracelets." She picked out a queen's crown one and one with a letter "J" on it for Jane. It was such a tiny moment, but meant a lot to me as she put some thought into it (without me really asking). She's always making pictures for people and now is into making friendship bracelets to give away. She even made Gigi's birthday cake with very little help from me! Don't get me wrong, she has her selfish moments, but I love the part of her that thinks, and cares, about others.

The cake Doodle made for Gigi's birthday last weekend.

I could go on all day... After all, the past five years with this girl have been so very full and entertaining! I can only imagine what the future holds for this kid... Happy "Golden" Birthday, Doodle!