FIVE YEARS OLD!

I realize I sound like any other parent out there, but how oh how is my sweet little girl already five whole years old?  I am comforted only by two different people telling me recently that when their kids went to college, it felt like it was about time, because the kids had become increasingly difficult to live with.  It makes me feel better that I might be a little bit tired of Lizzie in 13 years (after a couple of fights about homework and perhaps some disagreements about appropriate attire, but not dating because she can wait to do that).  Right now, it just seems surreal that she is getting to be such a big girl, who does everything all by herself.

I suppose if kids came with pause buttons, Lizzie would only be about 10 months old, which wouldn't really be fair to any of us.  Because she is an amazing five-year-old who is clever and kind and sassy and funny.  And when I think about how much time I've been able to spend with her since we arrived in Muscat, I am so grateful.

I think it is important to note that she selected macaroni and cheese "with the sugary cheese" for her birthday dinner, so I dutifully purchased a box of Kraft macaroni and cheese and prepared it for her.  She did not eat any veggies with it.  When she goes through her hippie vegan phase, I'm going to tell her friends all about how she loved processed junk.  (When I served her a spanish tortilla with sweet potatoes for dinner this evening, she loudly exclaimed that she HATES this dinner.)

Thank you for the Elsa doll, Auntie Em! 

All set to celebrate at school!

A birthday nap with her new Elsa Build-A-Bear (thank you Miyu).