Six Pack

This little amazing six year old is packed with emotion. With spice. With determination. With a fighting instinct and a sense of self. All packaged up into one petite, perfect little muscled body. I've confessed on more than one occasion that she is my trial at times. With such a strong personality and mood swings in the flash of an eye, we sometimes butt heads. Sometimes I think maybe we are just too much alike, but mostly I think I just have a low tolerance for drama. Either way, it makes for interesting times at our house.

But last night, I saw my most favorite heart-melting genuine full teeth grin from our fireball as she crossed home plate, running like a champ. She was full of the spirit and enthusiasm I love. This is Rowan's first year playing ball on a team, and she is loving it so far. She's on a co-ed coach pitch little league baseball team (they don't have softball leagues until age 7), and seems to be thoroughly enjoying herself. Granted, she and many of the others are just learning some of the basics of the game (like when to run, and where all the bases are, and where to throw it when the ball gets hit), but she is batting well and got three hits last night. Way to go, Rowan! We are excited to watch you and your team grow and improve all season long.

I'm so thrilled that she is following in her sisters' (and mother's and her grandmothers' and her Aunt's and her cousins') footsteps and is playing ball. It's pretty much part of our genetic makeup, I think. The Goodmans and the The Browns have a long history of being good ball players. I hope my girls keep it up. Next year, Easton will be joining the ranks, too.

In contrast to our little jock-ette in the making, I found these princess pictures that Rowan recently drew. This is how she often looks. Princess-like. Adorned with headbands and flower clips. Always preferring the skirt over the shorts. Lip gloss. Earrings. Maybe that's why seeing her in her baseball uniform made me smile even more. Just like her typical girly girl stuff, the uniform seemed to be perfect fit for her. I love that.

Miss Rowan's always got a pen and pad in hand, ready to color her world or write a quick sentence or two. It's normal to find little love notes on our bed, to find a new hand made card for no occasion at all sitting on my computer desk, or to find a little art treasure hanging on my scrapbook wall. She knows I love them. I'm not always sure what the motive is for her random acts of creative kindness towards me, especially when the hour before we were enduring the throws of a meltdown, but sometimes I think that her little messages or pictures to me are her way of reminding me that she does, really, like me, despite the things that come out of her mouth on occasion. My mom says that Rowan reminds her so much of me when I was little. A little sass. A little flare. A lot of feisty.

Rowan Sue Brown - our six year old wonder, ready for her first game of the season 3/26/10. We love you, Ro, and are so proud of you!