Take Me To Post Comment Form My daughter Rebecca turns five on Friday. I can hardly believe it. It seems like only yesterday that I was bringing her home from the hospital for the very first time. How quickly the past five years have gone by!

Ever since Rebecca had her last birthday I have been telling people what a wonderful age four is. And it is. Four year olds are no longer babies; they do not wear diapers, and they do not require constant supervision. They are capable of empathy. They are capable of humor. They display extraordinary creativity and imagination.

But, while four year olds may no longer be babies, they are still remarkably sweet and uncorrupted. A four year old will tell you that her mommy is the best mommy in the whole wide world and that her daddy can protect her from anything. A four year old will not be able to figure out just how it is that adults always know when she is fibbing. A four year old will still believe in magic.

Yes, four is a great age, and I have had a lot of fun watching Rebecca blossom over the past year. But, now it is time to look ahead, time to celebrate a true milestone birthday.

Why is five such a milestone? Well, five is the age when most children start kindergarten. It is the age when kids learn to read and ride their bikes without training wheels. It is the age when they begin to lose their baby teeth and stop taking naps and start questioning the world around them. In so many ways five is an exciting age; it is the gateway from “the little years to “the middle years of childhood.

And so, this Friday my family will bid a fond farewell to four and will welcome five with open arms. After all, we cannot stop our children from growing up, but we can appreciate them at every stage along the way.

Happy Birthday Rebecca! Mama loves you!