Little Miss Cate officially turned five today. We spent last night looking through photo albums of her birth and marveling at all she has grown up to learn to do since. It was a wonderful and joyous evening. And then she woke up this morning and couldn't understand why the world hadn't stopped to enjoy her birthday. No longer was the birthday a sweet and enjoyable event to celebrate.

What? You mean daddy has to go to work even though it's Cate's birthday? And mom still has to run the carpool? And be spelling coach to 3 kids? And Cate still has to go to school while mom works on a deadline for work? What kind of birthday is this? By 9 am, I was about fed up with that sweet little 5 year old contrarian who couldn't help complain that the world's eyes were not focused on her.

But slowly, we regained the day. She said it would feel more like her birthday if she could play with Kaes, and he kindly came over and jumped in leaf piles with her. Then daddy came home from work and helped decorate the double decker cake I had baked over the afternoon (painting on a picture of Ariel, the Little Mermaid). Then she got to eat her birthday dinner (Cate's choice -- hot dogs) and that Ariel cake. And then she finally got to open up gifts, all of which were hits. There was the birthday locket from Grandma Bennie with a chain so she won't swallow it, the Pet Shop toys from Grandma and Papa Vieten, the Baby Alive from Aunt Laura, the homemade card filled with Pokemon cards from her brother, and goodness gracious, even Emily was back from the Doll Hospital (resplendent in her hospital gown, admitting bracelet, and get well soon balloon). Suddenly, it was the birthday she always wanted. Me too.