The Magical Age!

Anyone who has talked to Curly in the past month knows that she celebrated her birthday this week. To her, it is the most anticipated event of the year. She has had the mental image of her cake planned out for weeks - "A round cake with white frosting all over and blue writing that says 'Happy Birthday' and pink and purple butterflies."

There are many privileges that come with turning five, attending kindergarten being the most exciting. As parents we decided to take full advantage of the birthday hype and have been adding privileges to the list - when you are five, you cut your own pancakes; when you are five, you get a new chore chart; when you are five, you can't throw tantrums anymore!
We celebrated the grand event by going swimming and making crafts. In the evening Curly got to go out for dinner with just mom and dad to anywhere she chose. We all enjoyed some high quality white meat at Chic-Fil-A. When she announced that it was her birthday they threw in a free ice cream sundae. Curly mostly ate the sundae - and since it was her birthday I didn't enforce the "Eat all your food to get dessert" rule.
The cake was apparently NOT everything Curly dreamed it to be (though I thought I did a pretty good job) and she pronounced, "Well this isn't exactly how I wanted it, but I like it."

The euphoria of the occasion created a very happy and polite girl and Curly was so excited to talk to all her birthday well wishers and happy to share her gifts with Lou. I was happy to have such a happy five year old (that's a lot of happiness) and thought maybe there is something magical about turning five (I was wrong - today was a four year old day :)

Even so, I am amazed at how my oldest little girl has grown. Pardon me while I take a walk down memory lane.

New on earth - a few weeks old

One Year old - playing on the beach. I love this moment

Two years old

Three years old - She made a great Strawberry Shortcake for Halloween

Four Years old - This picture is classically Curly - all dressed up with so many imaginary places to go!

Oh how we love her!