Alive at Five

So the girl, my charming little cherub has turned five. Yes five! I can hardly believe it. Not only has she reached this age, but amazingly we also have been parents for five years. Count them people. Looking back at our life B.C (before child) it seems like we would never be able to get up early enough to deal with a child. Yes, there were a few years where 10:00 am was getting up early for me. And 5:00 am was always the time when I knew I had stayed up way too late. And now I have a child that is five. She is no longer technically a baby. She has now reached early childhood and there is no turning back.

I could sit here , be the proud parent, and list all her awesome , rockin' creds.

But being the parent of a five year old I feel it is more important to list a few things that I, myself has learned, (it's still all about me).

1. Yes, she may be pretty cool, but by listing her "awesome rockin' creds." I am really trying to be cool through my child. She prefers Hanna Montana to the Ramones and Cinderella to Hello Kitty no matter how hard I try. And let's be honest I've never been cool. Dorky hip, maybe. Trying hard to seem like I'm not trying at all, definitely.

2. I can have a great time with person that is not always looking for the next party. Yes, sometimes it seems like your pre-schooler is the fun and sometimes annoying friend from college that is always drunk. They fall down, take crazy risks and you can't always understand their jokes. They even dress like that old roommate wearing broken jewelry that they made themselves, mismatched layers and inappropriate shoes for the weather. But my preschooler is not drunk when we are hanging out at the local tot-lot and either am I for that matter. Hush!

3. I have made friends. Note the plural. Listen I've never been great at keeping friendships. Call me lazy or insecure I'm horrible at maintaining friendships. I've had the same bestest girlfriend since 1991, which is a testament to both of us, I think. Anyone who knows Corinne and I together recognizes that not only are we great friends but that it is truly difficult to be around the pair of us for an extended period of time. Ask any ex-boyfriend and they will give the emphatic roll of the eyes. Our current partners are too smart to answer this question.

As I've matured I've actually managed to make a few new friends, that I truly adore and who supposedly like me. And going back to #2, I can enjoy their company without a brewsky, but that's always fun too.

I'm not advocating having a child to gain emotional growth. I actually think most people do this on there own, sometime in their early twenties. I've always been a "late bloomer", so for me these milestones have been significant. I can't wait to see how mature I get when she goes to Jr. High.