List #5: Things I love about V

That last list was kind of a downer, wasn't it? Let's try a more upbeat topic this time.

I know that most every parent thinks their child is the best one yet, at least some of the time. We're no different. Here are some of my favorite things about V lately.

1. She can read really, really well. She uses inflection and reads dynamically and it's really fun to hear.

2. She loves dancing. She just loves to spin and swing her arms and stomp her feet. I know in a couple of years she'll be too self-conscious to dance like that, but for now it's just absolutely beautiful.

3. She draws in that perfect 5 year old way right now. She's just started adding fingers to the circles she calls hands. I very much want to have one of her self-portraits from the last year or so tattooed on my ankle.

4. When she says she really, really wants something (like a new toy), she's completely satisfied if I tell her we'll put it on her birthday or Christmas list.

5. She plays things obsessively, over and over. She's still loving Alice in Wonderland, and lately we've been playing Spirited Away meets Alice in Wonderland meets everybody in the whole world. As you can imagine, with such a large cast, these conversations can go on and on and on and on and on.

6. She is usually kind. She likes to talk about all the people she loves, and we've been working on our holiday gift list lately. She is gentle more often than not, and I love that.

7. She's the least picky eater I know. She's not crazy about chicken, unless it's a chicken leg, but otherwise she'll eat most foods most of the time. Carrots, peas, spinach, potatoes, apples, kiwi, strawberries, bananas, cheeseburgers, smoothies...plus, she's almost always hungry, so this flexibility is helpful.

8. She has an amazing memory. She remembers things clearly from 2 years ago, when she was only 3, which freaks me out a little. She remembers people she's met only once, and places we visited for just a short time.

9. She thinks her Daddy and I are the best people on earth. I have no illusions that this will last forever, but as for right now, it's a tremendous honor. She thinks we know all the answers. I wish we did, for her.

She drives me crazy sometimes, sure. She is an only child, and usually certain the whole world waits for her to show up. But she is gentle and hilarious and silly, and she is ours, and we are so lucky.