She is five years old today.  Five years! 

I could tell you her birth story, but that needs to be told on another day when you have lots of time to hear a scary story with a happy ending. 

I could tell you how I wanted to pull my hair out this morning when she informed me that now that she is five, she no longer needs to listen to me or do what I ask her to do.  And then how she spent ten minutes arguing with me about buckling her seat belt. 

I could tell you how much I grinned when I sat in her preschool classroom while she passed out her Oh Snap! Oreo cupcakes to her classmates.  She was truly in her element and almost dancing with happiness.

I could tell you how my heart swelled with joy when I watched her this evening at soccer practice, putting all her attention and spirit into kicking that little red ball around while her blond pigtails danced in the breeze.

I could tell you how I giggled when she stood on the ottoman and sang, at the top of her lungs, “Happy Birthday to who?  Me!  That’s right, Happy Birthday to ME!!!”

I could tell you how I got choked up reading Puff the Magic Dragon to her tonight and how my tears spilled onto her pillow while I rubbed her back as we listened to Peter, Paul, and Mary sing the song from the book as she drifted off to sleep.  I can’t believe that she’s five years old and that before I know it, she, like little Jackie Paper, will be too old for things like string and sealing wax and other fancy stuff like pigtails and butterfly lunch boxes.  But for now, she is still young enough to enjoy those things and I am going to relish it.

Yes, I could tell you all of those things, but instead, I think I’ll just let Abigail tell you about herself.  This is a project she did for preschool last week.  She put the stickers on herself and then dictated to me what I should write.  I think she describes herself pretty well:

She says:

“My name is Abigail!  I am 4 years old.  Next week I will be 5 years old!  I love to cook. I suck my thumb.  I am kind. I like my family. I love babies and dogs named Max. I like to get presents and I like to give them to others.  I love animals. I like to sing!  I like to have fun.”

I don’t think I could have described her better myself!  I love my sweet, precious, headstrong, loving, kind, amazing five year old!