Five things I love about Bridget, aged five.

1) The way she runs, skips, or dances nearly everywhere she goes. Half out of breath and looking at her feet she'll say to me, "just watch this mom!" as she gallops from my room to hers and back.

2) How she's so concerned about doing the right thing. In gymnastics she carefully steps into each station, trying to remember what to do; pointing her toes and looking to the teacher for a nod or a smile. And today, almost in tears she told me that Isadora seemed excited about her birthday and how she didn't mention her party (like I told her not to) but how she's worried Isadora knows about it, and that maybe she should invite her just in case.

3) How she loves her brother and has no interest in any other baby. How she talks to him with such excitement for life and has so many plans for him and her together.

4) How she laughs so hard at books and movies, and repeats all the funny lines over and over for days to follow. "Ham!"

5) How despite all the times she can be whiny and needy and sad for no reason, there are also times when she is so strong and so brave. Like when the hours count down before Mike's mom has to go to the airport and back to Vancouver. And at the dentist when the hygienist puts whizzing instruments and miniature vacuums in her mouth, and she tries out a joke with a nervous giggle. And the first night in our new house when she asked if I could cuddle with her in bed because "she felt weird" and I felt weird too, but I couldn't because Finn was crying.