She's Five

I like this girl. 

Really, if you are on the fence about having kids, don't be. Because one day they have a birthday and you get to stay up late with your sweetie wrapping presents that perfectly reflect who she is as a person and you get to wake up to a face like this. And they say and do things that make your heart swell two thousand times it's regular size. 

It's, shall we say, worth it.

But that's really just a side note. The real news is that our "baby" turned five yesterday. It was a big deal to her as she's been counting down the weeks and days since February. And it's always a big deal to me because I love her so much. We're having cake and friends over on Thursday so yesterday Papa and I got to have her all to ourselves. She designed the day and it went down like this:

Wake up delighted.

Put on outfit specifically selected days in advance.

Come downstairs to a birthday tree and presents. 

(This year Echo wanted her "own garden". So our presents to her were centered around that theme. A shovel and hoe, colorful annuals, seeds, garden pinwheel decorations...)

Open presents and squeal in delight.

Receive phone calls from beloved ones.

Eat waffles for breakfast.

Jump around and play while waiting for Papa to be ready to plant the garden.

Painstakingly organize, plant, and water the new garden with Papa. (An event so lovely and precious that it is sure to be a highlight from his life.)

Enjoy an hour of fantasy play.

A trip to the river with the dogs in which it was decided as part of the birthday that Echo would decide how long we stayed. 

Splash in underwear, build a mud wall, orchestrate endless fantasy games.

Go to Big Dipper for a scoop of Yellow Cake icecream with rainbow sprinkles.

Cry through a makeshift funeral and grieving session when the dog we are dogsitting nabbed a chipmunk and broke it's back.

Eat burritos in the evening garden.

Skype with Nana.

Take a bath.

Luxuriate in a long session of Papa reading Harry Potter.

Get sleepy during a session of "Paint" in which I pretend to paint Echo's body in various colors.

Sweet sleep.

 

Really, does it get anymore cute and wholesome than that?

This girl. This romantic, intelligent, thought-spinning girl is five! 

 

Neither human nor giant has seen this,

this death,

this poetry.

Echo, age 5

Comments

[emily]

oh my god i can only imagine how much you love her because i love her so much i can barely stand it.

[6512 and growing]

raising my coffee mug this morning to you dear, Echo. May we meet again.

[Kristanne]

Happy, happy birthday, dear Echo.

[Jessica Farnham]

Happiest of birthdays sweet girl!! I can't believe you are 5 already!! Sounds like you had an AWESOME day!!

[Jim Farrar]

What a beautiful smile and birthday to remember. You all are blessed. Have a wonderful weekend in Santa Cruz! Happy Happy belated birthday to another delightful Taurus! Love, Jim