A little girl turns 5

We are celebrating my daughter’s 5th birthday today. I made chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast (with yellow food coloring — her request). I will be going to her class this morning to read Ladybug Girl at the Beach, and share cookies. Not cupcakes. I had agreed to cookies, then mentioned I would go pick up the cupcakes and she gently reminded me that this was not what she wanted. Duly noted. She likes what she likes! That’s probably why she cut her own hair last year when she got annoyed with it (it is still growing back out — though getting long again).

She has changed our lives in many ways. The news that she would be coming prompted our move from NYC to the suburbs of Philly. Though she is far from a girly girl, she is probably the reason our house is not completely consumed by wrestling and poop jokes. She loves her projects and stories. I also love how transparent she is in asking for what she wants. “Mommy, are you proud of me for playing quietly in the basement?” I love her fashion choices (believe me, she wears whatever she likes). I love that she is simultaneously aggressive in soccer and very patient and maternal with her toddler brother (despite the fact that he gets into everything).

She is also incredibly brave. She has been through two rounds of eye surgery. She is potentially facing another. I do not know how this will all shake out. It kills me that anyone might look at my gorgeous and brilliant daughter and judge her appearance. But I suspect that she will handle it better than most, or even revel in her special talents. One afternoon we were playing outside in the backyard and I was watching her little brother and she wanted me to watch her do some trick. I said I could not watch both of them at the same time, and she said “Mommy, just keep one eye on him and one eye on me.” I had to remind her that not all of us can do that!

In other news: I am working on a story, tied to the new overtime pay laws, on how to keep your employees at 40 hours a week. If you or a manager you know has had success with making sure schedules don’t get out of control, I would love to hear your tips! As always, you can email me at lvanderkam at yahoo dot com.