FIVE

(Warning: slightly 'gushy' celebration of all things Elsa below!)

She's five now. It's been that way for one week, exactly. This time five years ago we watched her ever so closely, most minutes of every day, mesmerized by her every move from the slightest twitch of her face to the widest yawn, the most wide-eyed expression and still very surprised she was with us (it was a long journey to finding each other). 

We're still as enthralled, just by a wider range of activities these days! Now, her moves are oh-so deliberate; the swirling and twirling about the house, the jumping, the running, the careful stitching, the endless drawing, the wrestling with her brother.... We have been known to sneak into their room at night to watch the sleeping figures of her and her brother for a taste of that sleeping baby, to enjoy the quietness, to take a look and absorb them after the chaos of a day. Last night, we even took her Yiayia in for a look (via Skype). The day after her birthday we reminded her that, in Canada, her birthday had only just begun - so the celebrating continued for our part-Canadian lass.

We've spent parts of the past week with an inquisitive, sometimes chatty, sometimes laughing, sometimes quiet Elsa by our sides looking through photo albums of her early days. Perhaps my favourite comment was "oh Mama, look! You and Dada loved me right from the very, very, very beginning, I can tell". Ah, you could say that.

She's not so sure about this 'five' thing, she tells us she would be quite happy to be four forever, or three, or two. She enjoyed the cake, the party and the gatherings with family, despite being a little uncomfortable with all the attention, asking others to open her gifts for her and  handing off the parcel to others when the music stopped at her (re: pass-the-parcel). She's enjoying the afterglow of her birthday perhaps a little more than anything and more than once has reported "Mama, I'm still FIVE!". Yes, for a whole year Elsa! And we're sure that 'six' will be just as wonderful.