And Then She Was Five...

On my 5th birthday, I received a pink bike.  My mom made a little treasure hunt for it throughout the house and when I ended up in the back yard, there it was, shining brightly, awaiting the adventures we would have together.  I remember most of that experience so vividly; I can still feel the warm July air; I can still see the blue demin dress I was wearing; I can still hear the anticipation in my mom’s voice of what was about to happen.  Five is a special number for a kid, and my family made it special for me; so special that 28 years later, I still think of it and smile.

When Son turned five two years ago, it was special.  One whole hand required to tell the world how old you are.  He was finishing up his last year of preschool and climbing trees and playing soccer.  When did my firstborn baby become a little kid?  He suddenly seemed so big which made it easier for me to still then look at Daughter as my baby.   She was still then my constant companion; my running buddy, my napper, my go-to girl to head to Target with.  All this independence that came along with Son turning 5 was still a bit overshadowed by this Girl who still needed me to do so many things with her, for her.  I stopped to enjoy it a bit more because if Son could turn five so quickly, it was only a matter of time before I would blink and she would be right there, letting go of my hand to climb a little higher on that tree.

And now She is five.  And how special She is.

For if you know my Daughter, you know that there is no one quite like her.  A Girl who marches to the beat of her own drum.  A Girl who eschews a Princess dress in favor of a ninja sword.  A Girl who seems to be filled with so much silliness that you can’t help but smile when you glance at her in spite of yourself.  A Girl who reminds me so much of myself as a child: putting on shows in the front yard for no one in particular, slamming doors not once but twice to make sure her mood is recognized, making up stories with facial expressions as big as her imagination.  Her sense of humor is one of her greatest attributes, for even her Brother can’t help but laugh at her antics.  When she wants your attention, she demands it.  Don’t you dare ignore her.  I can already see her wings sprouting; I can see that she is going to want to fly.  And I know that I will have no choice but to sit back and watch her soar.

As I watch my Children grow, I am so overwhelmed with gratitude.  And I can’t believe, even though eeeevveerrryyyone likes to tell me, I really can’t believe how quickly the years go by.  Enjoy every minute, they say.  And while I am maybe not enjoying every minute, I am doing my best to remember that any moment, any day, any adventure my Kids experience has the possibility of being locked in their brains forever and I can only hope that they look back and remember that it was...special.

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl.  May your life be as big as that imagination of yours.  May your life bring you as much joy as you bring to me.

I love you to the moon and back.