It's Official...5 Years Old

Happy Birthday Devin! You are 5 years old!

Everyone (and I mean everyone) told us to enjoy "the baby stage." They said, "You'll turn around one day and she'll be in high school and want nothing to do with you." While I hope that never happens (the not liking me part), I have to admit, everyone was right.

I'm not sure how 5 years could have passed any faster. I heard a saying just the other day regarding time with children. "The days are long, but the years are short." That about sums it up for me. Perhaps our choice to have just one child, makes us want to savor each moment even more. Or, maybe Dev's just super-cool and actually pretty fun to be around, for a 5 year old. Either way, I try and make an effort each day to slow down & enjoy the moment. It's not easy with our busy schedules, aka tennis:)

At 5 years old, Devin continues to top the growth charts. She's 45" tall and 49 lbs. (She's been in the 90th % for height and weight since a few months old) I predict she'll be tall, since I'm almost 5'10" and Matt's 5'11". Devin's favorite activities are art, cooking, gardening, gymnastics, Barbie's, swimming in the summer, Legos and wearing dresses/skirts. I'm not sure where this girly-girl streak came from. I own a total of 2 dresses and 3 skirts. Devin absolutely insists on wearing a dress/skirt everyday. She's also particular about her hair...she requests various ponytails and braids.

Two things we either got lucky and/or did "right" for her, were sleep routine and food. When she was a baby, I was pretty intensely focused on keeping her sleep routine. But, I think it paid off.

Although, Devin hasn't regularly napped in about a year, we still take a "rest time." Most days, from about 1:30-3:00 she plays quietly upstairs, draws, reads, sings, etc....Her bedtime routine is simple and easy. We aim to be in bed by 8:00 pm & she loves to be read to. She sleeps through the night, unless she's sick and wakes up around 7:00 am.

Devin's eating has been epic from the moment she entered our world. I tried for 2 weeks to exclusively breastfeed and pump, but nothing seemed to satisfy her. I remember having a really messy cry on the phone with her Dr.....begging for help, Devin screaming in my arms. I felt like a total failure, adding some formula to her bottle. But, the she stopped crying. This was my first lesson in, "doing what works for you." For 6 months, I pumped and we mixed in formula and all was well. Once she got a taste of "real" food, it was over. She'll try just about anything placed in front of her and loves to go out to restaurants. Some of her current favorites: Sushi, Salsa and Fajitas at Mexican, Shiraz (kabobs), Corbetts...We also eat quite a bit of "normal" stuff during the week...she loves pasta (with or w/o sauce), ham or turkey sandwiches, peanut butter, salad etc...

Like most parents these days, we're trying to limit Dev's total "screen time." (Tv, Ipod, laptop, Leapster) We've pretty much narrowed her TV to PBS kids shows. Her favorites are Sesame Street, Martha Speaks and Electric Company. With Tivo, we also share a few of our shows with her...since we can fast forward through the ads. (The worst part IMO) So, we all watch Wheel of Fortune, Wipeout and a first few minutes of American Idol or Survivor. She loves playing her Leapster, which was handed down to me from a friend.

Even at 5, I think Devin's sense of humor stands out. Her teachers have noted it and last week, I received this email from the Mom of Devin's classmate, "C."

C was talking to Daddy on the phone this morning (Daddy works in Chicago during the week) and Daddy asked C what he was going to do at pre-school this morning. C said, "I'm going to marry Devin and there's nothing you can do to stop me". Then my husband asked why he wanted to marry Devin and C said, "Because when I say something funny she laughs really loud at me."

I think we'll all have a major adjustment, as she transitions out of preschool. St. Francis has been an amazing opportunity for Devin. In hindsight, I think we started a bit too early...she just wasn't ready to separate from me (at all) at 2 years old. (Even though it was only 2 morning a week) But, this year, she's truly flourished. Her small class size (8 kids) & experienced teacher, allowed Devin to bond closely to several friends.

5 years ago, it was hard to picture our life with a child running around. We were so busy working, playing and enjoying us. Now, it's impossible to even imagine a life without Devin. My one (and only) regret was not having her just a bit sooner...so my Dad could have met her. Deep down, I wonder if having a granddaughter like Devin, would have motivated him to take better care of his health. They would have been very close, this I know. And, she would have already been fishing/golfing/riding in the Porsche...just like me.

Happy Birthday Devin!!!!