“We are big girls now, mama”

Well the much-anticipated bday has finally arrived. Ree and Ro are now five. Wow. Ree quite seriously just told me “We are big girls now mama -- the next time we go to Gilroy Gardens, can you tell the rollercoaster guy that we’re FIVE now?!” Ah yes, my little babe, I will.

That rollercoaster dude with the measuring stick has been the bane of their existence for the last year. Sometimes he says they’re tall enough to ride the thrilling Rattler Coaster, sometimes he says they’re both too short to ride, and sometimes (oh the ultimate indignity) he holds up that measuring stick and says one girl is tall enough to ride and one isn’t. Ro and Ree quickly learned to see who had the taller shoes on and swap around so each girl had one of the “good” shoes before getting in line. Then they stood up as tall as they could on the good shoe so they’d both measure up. Not even kidding. And no, I didn’t teach them that trick.

Not sure how we got to five-years-old so quickly. Man. The girls have had a pretty good time with the bday thing so far. They got to open a present each morning starting on Oct 1, because we like to celebrate good and long over here. And this morning they got up, brushed their teeth and made their beds (I know, it shocks me too), then waited until the clock said 7 before running screaming down the hall on their way downstairs. In holidays past, I would get there before them and snap a picture as they rounded the corner and caught a first glimpse of whatever goodness was waiting for them. Ha! Not this year. Or anymore, I’m guessing. They are too damn fast now.  

They ripped into the pile of presents with glee. Loved everything, even the tiny flashlights TubaDad got them. And luckily, we were able to find the two things they asked for over and over again. The same pink and purple doll strollers they had back when they were little. The original strollers were subjected to all manner of twinbuse, and turned into little piles of duct-taped shredded material and bent metal before we tossed them out. And they’ve been wanting replacements ever since. Funniest moment was when we plopped the new strollers on the ground and both girls looked puzzled. Ree finally said “Why they so small? These aren’t the ones we wanted. The other ones were a lot bigger.”  It was kind of bittersweet to explain that the strollers hadn’t shrunk, the girls had just grown. ALOT.

Hilarious, vivacious, sweet, charming, whip-smart little babes. Your daddy and I love you to pieces and wish you the very happiest birthday. Enjoy your party at school today, and we can’t wait to take you out for the fancy birthday dinner that you requested (Chuck E Cheese).