A letter to the birthday girl (a few days late)

Dear Reina:  You celebrated a birthday on Monday and as soon as your birthday was officially over Monday night, you came down with a bug and were sick for most of the rest of the week. In looking at the blog from this time last year, almost the same exact thing happened. This year, you didn't let a fever and general droopiness stop you from enjoying every minute of your special day, and the day before that and the day after, etc. etc. etc.

The birthday girl on the morning of turning 5.  No one in the history of the world has been more ready to be 5. 

The biggest thing you wanted for your birthday this year was your own pet.  You narrowed the list down from a kitten to a guinea pig to a hamster to a fish. We try to explain to you that Trigger and Tootsie would claw down your door to get to the first three species on your list so you finally compromised with #4.  On Monday night, we went to the pet store to pick out Goldie, your very own beta fish.  (Read this part when you are older.  You insisted on a girl (ghel!) fish but not only are they not as flashy looking, the pet store didn't have any.  Since you can't read, we told you that the male halfmoon beta you had picked out was in fact, a female.  Later that night you told me that maybe one morning we'd wake up and Goldie would have a bunch of baby fish with her and I giggled.)   

Serious about her first pet fish.

Goldie Rainbow Victoria is safe and snug in her own BRIGHT PINK fish tank.  We let you pick out the tank accoutrements and you (naturally) chose pink rocks, a pink plant and a pink thing for Goldie to hide in.  You also wanted an Easter Island statue in there but I thought Goldie might need a little more room to stretch her fins. 

Hope Goldie likes pink! 

On Sunday, we had a spa and tea party at our house for you and a few friends from preschool.  I was so busy dishing out hot chocolate and other party stuff that I forgot to take a single picture.  Luckily one of your godparents snapped this one. We had great help from the other moms and some of the older girls and we painted finger nails, made bead necklaces and had a tea party with your Great Grandma Dunlap's blue willow china. You had strong opinions about the decorations and the menu but I think you were happy with the way it all turned out. 

Reina, I say this every year but I cannot believe you are five.  You told everyone at preschool that you were leaving for kindergarten right after your birthday and you really wish that were true.  You write your name beautifully and you told me today that 40 + 60 = 100.  You will be more than ready for August to roll around but I know I'll get just as teary dropping you off as I did with your brother. 

You stopped taking naps last month and I feel like we've shed the last little vestiges of toddlerhood around here.  When you were sick this week, I actually enjoyed getting a chance to take care of you because you are usually running around here too fast for me to sit and cuddle for a while.  (The Florence Nightingale aspect of the week evaporated around Thursday when you were yelling for a kleenex and had three boxes within arm's reach but let's cut each other some slack on that one, okay?)

My little Raisin, you are a busy, busy kid.  You love to do art projects and I'm currently sitting at the kitchen table in a pile of crafts that you've (semi) completed this week.  Your room is in a state of perpetual disarray because you love all of your toys and I'll walk by and see the miniature ponies having a picnic with the baby doll while the cats and the baby monkey watch from the bed.  You have really taken to your dance class and you twirl and jump through the house.  You also love music and we all know the complete lyrics to the movie "Frozen" because it's blaring from you room just about every waking minute.  Even Will walks around singing "Let it go.... let it go...."

You love your big brother and (most of the time) you are a willing ninja, star wars, soldier girl following along on the mission.  You are delighted by your baby cousin and have a list of things you want to teach her - among them how to eat and use the toilet.  I'm sure your aunt and uncle will appreciate that assistance.  You talk about all of your extended family members and get frustrated when I say that we'll see them sometime soon (and won't give specific dates). 

Reina, five years ago you made our family complete.  Today, you make it infinitely more entertaining and you keep us on our toes with your energy and enthusiasm for life.  We love you, Reina girl.  Happy fifth birthday!