Notes to grown-up Elle

Remember when you slept in your clothes the first several weeks of Kindergarten because that was the only way to prevent an earth-shattering wardrobe drama each morning? You may have been a little wrinkly, but we both kept our sanity those mornings.

Remember when your Dad would say "Guess what?", and you always knew the answer was that he loved you?

Remember writing a sentence for homework using your sight words? You came up with: "My mom is the best!" The exclamation point was your idea, too.

Remember when it seemed like forever before Christmas would get here?

Remember singing Winnie-the-Pooh to your sister to calm her down when she cried in the car? And making crazy faces and pretending to fall on the floor over and over again to make her laugh?

Remember despising getting your hair washed or brushed?

Remember the thousands of hours we've spent reading books on your bed before bedtime? And how you'd ask for just one more even if we'd depleted the Library of Congress?

Hopefully you remember how many times a day I told you "I Love You", and forget how many times I told you "Hurry Up".

Remember being a total smart-aleck at school? At least you didn't reserve it just for home...

Remember when we'd snuggle before bedtime and you always wanted to hear stories about the "sick kids" I helped at work?

Remember eating mussels like they were candy, but shunning spaghetti sauce like it was poison?

Remember when you briefly wanted a baby brother because that would necessitate getting all new boy toys?

Remember the first time you rode your bike across the big bridge at the park?

Remember spending hours "writing" books at the budding novelist age of 5?

Remember your first soccer game, and unabashedly telling me your favorite part was snack time?

Remember spirited games of Chutes and Ladders and Candyland? Remember how much you hated to lose? Remember refusing to play Old Maid because you were terrified you were going to draw the Old Maid?

Remember all the dinners we ate around the kitchen table? And all the mealtime and bedtime prayers we made a point to say as a family?

Remember all your butterfly, beetle, caterpillar, and worm pets?

Do you remember the little things about being Five?
I do. And I hope I always will.