Clorox, cake, and candles

In my last post I mentioned how we were working through some fears the 2nd Grader has been having about getting sick at school, and many of you were so helpful and encouraging in your responses. I heard from several other mothers who are dealing {or who had dealt in the past} with similar issues. It is so comforting to know we are not alone in this particular struggle, and it reminded me all over again of the importance of transparency.

I believe I wrote that post on Thursday, October 6th. Well. The following day, on Friday, October 7th, the Preschooler came down with a stomach virus and threw up absolutely all over our car on the way home from swim practice. Can you even believe the timing?! I don’t really know how to begin to describe the drama that unfolded in our minivan in the moments that followed that event. All I can tell you is I was the only adult on the scene, and I seriously considered driving us straight to the hospital, the fire station, or the CDC in Atlanta where medical professionals could take over and our car could be immediately fumigated and disinfected. Eventually I regained just enough composure to clean up, console the patient and the witnesses, and start everyone on an apple cider vinegar regimen in hopes of preventing an epidemic. In the end, only the Preschooler and I were ever affected by the virus. But, the experience {and perhaps my dramatic reaction} was a major setback for the 2nd Grader. A sweet friend recommended a book to us, “When Your Brain Gets Stuck,” that addresses fears like the ones we’re battling. So, the 2nd Grader and I will be reading through this together in the days and weeks to come.

But, today, there will be no serious reading because we are focused on celebrating the Preschooler’s 5th birthday! She’s been looking forward to “Oc-tover” eighteenth for some time now. So, in honor of her big day, I’ve written a short letter:

~~~~~

Preschooler,

Today you’re five. That’s a handful, so it’s an age that already suits you well! You came into the world one day before your scheduled induction, and I feel like you’ve been running about a day ahead of us ever since.

From the moment you wake up each morning, you are full of energy and excitement. You love to ask, “What are we going to do today?” And, if my answer doesn’t suit you, you’re quick to come up with ideas for how we could best spend the day.

You love most anything Disney, but you’re especially fond of The Little Mermaid right now. In fact, you’re intrigued by mermaids of any sort and you enjoy drawing them and talking about whether or not they’re real. Your imagination is as big as it is bold.

You enjoy playing baby dolls. You prefer to take care of a whole class of babies rather than just one or two at a time. And, you say you think you’ll probably have one hundred babies when you grow up. That’s fine. But, I’m going to go ahead and tell you I’ll only be able to babysit three of them at a time. Actually, if they’re as fast as you are, it may have to be more of a one-on-one situation.

You also enjoy Barbie dolls, and you’re pretty good at talking anyone ~ even your Daddy ~ into playing along with you. Typically you’re kind enough to let him be Ken, or in this case, Prince Philip. Bless him.

This year we’ve discovered you’re indeed left-handed. You can almost write your long name, and you enjoy drawing and painting most any day of the week. You don’t mind to make a mess for the sake of creating a masterpiece. You’ve also found a favorite new outdoor activity: boating. You’ve only been twice, but you talk often about how much you liked riding in the canoe. I think you may enjoy the accessories you get to wear and the equipment you get to wield about as much as you enjoy the actual ride.

You still love your scooter and perform new tricks on it almost weekly. Your big sister says she can imagine you performing in the circus one day, and I don’t think that’s an impossibility.

A few of your favorite books are “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” “The Princess and the Pea,” and “Pete the Cat.” You like books with rhyming words or exciting story lines the best.

You started soccer this year. You seem to enjoy going each week, but as you noted after the first game, “We just run around the whole time!” So, you find other ways to entertain yourself by practicing cartwheels, striking poses with your friend, or looking for feathers on the field. Sometimes this causes your competitive, soccer-loving dad to be stressed. But, whether you’re paying attention to the ball or twirling around in the backfield, your games are rarely boring. And, no matter the score or your level of participation, you confidently announce after each game, “We winned!”

You love to dress up. The fancier, the better. And, you’re not one to skimp on the accessories… or the eye shadow. You appreciate shock value, and it’s not unusual at all for you to walk downstairs in something dramatic when we have a repairman or some other guest here. You’ve mastered the duck lips, and you know when and how to use them.

You force me to think outside the box and color outside the lines. You welcome conversation with new people and encourage me to push through my introverted tendencies everywhere from the doctor’s office to the grocery store. Sometimes your thrill-seeking almost undoes me. But, every single day you help remind me that I am not in control and there is more to life than following all the rules. I pray God will help me steer you toward maturity and will continue to use your fearlessness and flair for life to grow and mature me along the way.

We love you so much, Preschooler. Welcome to age 5!