Let's do SIX!

Happy Birthday, my love!

 

We think of the milestone birthdays as landing on the “fives”…5, 10, 15. But, there’s something about SIX for me right now. FIVE still sounded sweetly young to me. She’s only five. She’s a kindergartener. She’s still my baby.

But, SIX?! SIX is a kid. A first grader. SIX means more independence and less need to have me by her side. And I look back at the last 72 months of pictures and videos and I sigh at those thigh rolls at one and laugh at the way she over-enunciated everything at two and smile at her Garfunkel curls and power alleys at three and clap as she conquers the monkey bars at four and swell with pride seeing her sing the loudest and proudest at the holiday program at five. And I love those memories of my little Lainey, my first born, my daughter. I will hold them dear and revisit them often, but I won’t wish to go back or mourn that the years went too fast (even though they really, really did).  

Because SIX-year-old Lainey is going to bring it. I’m already so amazed by this girl. She is STRONG and SMART and while I can’t claim she’s a tender soul, I’ve seen her have amazing COMPASSION and EMPATHY—usually in situations where it matters the most. And the conversations we have! Oh the conversations!!! They’re INTERESTING and THOUGHTFUL and I’m so looking forward to how they will grow over this next year. It’s incredible how differently she thinks and processes things after just one year of school.

Six also brings more self-awareness. And more self-awareness brings more self-consciousness. More insecurities. More hurt feelings. This is the territory I’m not so excited to explore. I feel like this is where the real parenting comes in and I’m scared to death I’m going to completely screw it up.

But, as it’s been since this little lady came into our lives, we’ll be taking the tough times with the fun times. We’ll grow together and learn from each other. And, hopefully, amid the power struggles, discipline, and, yes, the shouting, we can throw a little of that compassion and empathy each other’s way and still get our fill of hugs, sharing, and laughter.

Let’s do this, Lainey. Let’s do SIX!!!