Almost Five

1) "Mom? I have to go rehearse now. My teacher says she wants me to sing Ariel's song in front of the class next week." Just you? The whole song? I ask skeptically. "I know! Isn't it cool???" I flash back to my own second grade year, when I maybe, just maybe, might have brought in my ballet slippers and somehow finagled Sister Carol Marie into letting me dance to a Beach Boys song in front of the whole class. I wince, then repress memory. I suggest we maybe talk to the teacher before planning a one-girl showcase for the entire preschool class.

2) "I have a GREAT IDEA! Let's color the whole page PINK and then turn it over and color the other side PURPLE. Wouldn't that be the best?"

3) "[insert heavy, dramatic sigh] I'm so very sad today because you took away my candy? for three days? because I lied? about turning on the heat in the kitchen and said I didn't? About that. I'm so sad. [insert resolute tone] But that sure means I will NEVER. EVER. LIE. AGAIN. EVER. Because I really, really like candy. But tomorrow is a really, really exciting day. Because I get to have candy again."

4) "Can I make a native american costume tomorrow? Because I really really want to be that for Halloween next year. That's a really good thing to be, because they hunt for bears. And next year I want to hunt for candy. So that's how we're alike. Hey, mom, something interesting. You have a pack of mint gum and I don't. So that one there on your desk might have some mint gum in there. Do you think so? Maybe I can have some tomorrow. When I can have candy again? Do you think so?"

5) "Mommy, I will always love snuggling with you. Even when I'm a mommy too, I will still crawl in your lap and snuggle and kiss your eyes. Because I know you love that."

And that. That is why I love almost five.