High five

Is there any age more fun to be than five? Sydney certainly doesn't think so. Suddenly she has countless new capabilities. And it's all because of her recent advance in age.

"Sydney, isn't that the Scooby Doo show that's too scary?"

"It's not too scary for me Mom, because I'm five."

Her new found bravery temporarily abandoned her last Friday when she had her five-year check-up with the pediatrician. She's been dreading the appointment ever since the last one, and has even asked if we could find a new doctor who didn't have "one of those pointy things." As she's been telling people, "I need three shots and then I can go to kindergarten."

As luck would have it, she only needed two. But getting her to sit calmly was still a challenge. At the nurse's suggestion, I had Sydney sit on my lap straddling my waist. This allowed me to hold her arms in a hug, plus prevented her from seeing when the needle was coming. She cried and squirmed and then, just like that, it was over.

Through big, gulping sobs, Sydney cried out, "THAT... WASN'T... SO... BAD!"

(The nurse was still laughing as she left the room.) 

With the shots out of the way (and no more needed until age 11) Sydney, by the next day, started asking, "Do I go to kindergarten today?"

More adventures with my five year old...

To get across the culvert that runs between the parking lot and the baseball field where AJ played a game last night, we had to walk across a 2 x 4 that's temporarily replaced the foot bridge, which was washed away in last week's storm. As Sydney attempted to cross, with arms out wide as if she was on the high wire, I asked, "Are you sure you don't need help?"

"I can do this. Because I'm five. And girls rule."

Her Cinderella doll now gets piggy back rides because five year olds are big enough to do that.

(Unrelated story: Cinderella was briefly nicknamed Cindy last night. But then I mistakenly noted that it was cute how Sydney was giving Cindy a ride. That was the end of that. Sydney already has developed a pet peeve - when people mistakenly pronounce her name as Cindy. Thus, she couldn't possibly call her doll that!)

The bedtime routine is another chance to demonstrate new skills.

She recognizes her limitations when it comes to scooping frozen ice cream from the carton. She's not strong enough yet (or patient enough to wait for it to melt and soften up). But she can pour syrup on it. All by herself.

It's a funny thing about independence and how our definition of it changes as we grow older. There's that classic song that starts:

When I was young
I never needed anyone...

And the chorus:

All by myself
Don't wanna be
All by myself
Anymore

Sydney loves to proclaim she can do things all by herself. Because - whether she consciously realizes it or not - she's never really by herself. There's always someone close at hand as back up. And as old as she now is, she has no problem admitting defeat and humbly asking for help.

I suppose that will come. Probably when she's six.