Maple Leaf Mommy

The prime purpose of being four is to enjoy being four - of secondary importance is to prepare for being five.  ~ Jim Trelease, The Read-Aloud Handbook, 1985

Over a week ago now my G-Girl turned five years old. I found the fact that my wee babe is turning five a bit depressing somehow. I was feeling a bit glum in the week or so heading up to her big day. I guess it's because at five she really is a "big kid".


She has become so independent. She only takes naps every couple of days now and at some point in the past year she stopped sucking her thumb at bedtime (thank goodness!) She does her "bedtime business" on her own each night, and she dresses herself every morning though sometimes I have to exercise my right to veto her outfit choices.

Her continuing obsession with the colour pink is deeply troubling to me. When asked what she wants to be when she grows up she answers a mom, a librarian or a doctor. She has been helping me with cooking meals more often and is really eager to learn about food. She's curious about food groups, balanced meals, portions, recipes, the whole shebang.


She loves going to school, and will beg me to go on days when she is sick. She loves fairies and Tinkerbell. She draws amazing pictures. She loves to draw robots. She can copy characters from her picture books with surprising accuracy. She loves books. She still insists on a chapter from "Dorothy-Toto" at bedtime. She loves to read to herself or to her sister.

She is a completely awesome big sister. She helps, teaches and plays with Baby-G in the most amazing ways. I'm not saying they don't occasionally try and kill each other, but mostly I'm deeply impressed by the way she treats her little sister.

She drives me bonkers with her refusal to tell me anything about her school day, or her trips to Mimi's house, or any other time we spend apart. When I ask her about her day she invariably answers either "I can't tell you, you weren't there.", or "You already know because you were there!"

The real menace in dealing with a five-year-old is that in no time at all you begin to sound like a five-year-old.  ~ Joan Kerr, Please Don't Eat the Daisies, 1957

She is an empathetic, caring, kind, sweet, intelligent, curious little girl who often drives me completely mad. I'm proud of her, I love her deeply, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for her.  Happy birthday baby girl!