Five Years Old!

I held in her my arms when she was minutes old. I told her I loved her. I promised I’d try my hardest to raise her well.  We survived the first year, thrived during the second, blissfully enjoyed the third, and hopped and skipped (with a few trips), through the fourth. 

Now here we stand ready to take on another year.  Mallory turns five on January 4th.  Did I not just post about her 4th birthday?  I have heard it from almost every parent who has kids older then mine and they all say the same thing…time only goes faster.  And, by God that is the truth. 

Mallory’s fourth year taught us a whole bunch. She is our oldest, therefore our guinea pig.  Poor thing… 

Things we’ve learned:

1. Four has been the hardest year yet. Wholly Moolly I wonder if it continues to keep getting harder???

2. Memories last.  She is beginning to remember things that will last.  Does this make sense?  Think back to your childhood-some of your very first memories…Mallory is making those now.  It is really cool—but completely terrifying at the same time. I sure hope she remembers the good days and not the bad.

3. She learned how to roll her eyes.  At her mom. NotCool.

4. She continues to have a thrill for all things her dad enjoys.  Tallest, swirliest waterslide? Sign them both up.  Sledding and the occasional attempt at snowboarding? If he is in, she is too.  It is adorable. 

5. She became a kid. She left all the other preschool stuff behind. I can’t put words to how or what the transformation looks like it just sort of happened.

6. She is learning to read. A little girl who has loved books from the time she could hold her head up to turn the pages. It is so amazing to hear her sound out a word and read it. She has a whole bunch of sight words in her memory and she is so proud when she can read a real word.

6. I watched two little wiggly teeth fall out of her mouth.  It hit me harder then I ever thought it would.  With those two teeth she grew up. I felt like I was just holding her as a baby when those same teeth were causing her such pain and now they were gone, ready to be replaced by new ones.

Our last FIVE years…

And now where we are…

     November 10 and December 1, 2010

She stole our hearts 5 years ago and I was forever changed.  She came into this world to teach us so many things about life, love, persistence, patience, what it means to truly “be” a parent.  She has taught me so much more. 

Happy Birthday, Peanut. I love you more than you will ever know. May you have an amazing year being five years young!