Today Laurel asked for the keys to the car.

Today Laurel asked for the keys to the car.  Not really but it felt like it.  (It could have been worse..like the dreaded day that she wants to go on the pill.)  Anyway, as we approached Laurel's elementary school, Rachel is trying to pull a Houdini to escape her car seat.  Laurel looks at me and says that she doesn't need me to leave the side of the car (hence leaving Rachel in her seat.)

LAW:  I can walk up to the door myself as long as you stay outside the car to make sure I get inside.
JCW:  Really?  Are you sure?
LAW:  I am totally sure.  (Holy crap..she talks like me!! She is mine!)


Off Laurel goes, walking very tall (stress the word tall) with her pink personalized backpack all the way to the door (it's about 25 feet).  A couple of times she looks back to make sure I am still there but at the end of her journey, she opens the heavy door, holds it open with her purple Nike and blows me a kiss.  (Really? Holy Crap..My Laurel..)

At that moment, I see stages of Laurel like I am falling off a cliff.  (I feel trite..very rarely have I been near an cliff that is not fenced.)  I don't think of Laurel's almost six years in months or years grown..her years are marked by quirky stages.

When Laurel was a little over a year and a half, she started to love books at bedtime.  So much so that she would demand six at a time (with two songs).  Ching and I would joke about being held hostage..but then we put a rule into play..1 book, 1 song.  To this day, we do this.  One book and Old McDonald--I stop after six animals..sorted by house pets, poultry and then livestock.

Laurel eats fruit snacks on her way home from school.  This started after she turned two.  Laurel used to hit other kids (oh Christ..she was that girl in a very bad way)..After a couple of bad days, I told her that if she had a good day, we could have fruit snacks on the way home.  Several days went without a hit..several days, Little Einsteins fruit snacks were eaten on the ride home.  She is still eating fruit snacks on the way home, close to being six.  (She hasn't hit anyone since she was a little older than two.)

When Laurel turned three, she became a hybrid vegetarian.  This is a type of vegetarian that doesn't eat red meat, fish, eggs..only chicken in the form of nuggets made by (Old) McDonald's accompanied by fruits, carrots only, dairy and carbs.

Right after Laurel had turned four and during the second trip to Florida, she declared that this state was her favorite..like her playground. She will be headlining a club soon and making it rain bills or champagne or whatever they do (I am not very hip).

Laurel, at 4 and a half, then became a big sister to Rachel..She treats her little sister like gold. She treats Rachel so well that I should give her the keys to the car..(it's just the Corolla).

Honestly, I want her to stay like this forever.  I can reason with her while she thinks I am still cool (even when I wear my mom jeans..I never threw them away..they are perfectly good jeans.)

The heavy elementary door (who was the asshole that made elementary doors so heavy) closes..I am hoping she will turn around to see if I am still here..she does..and I am glad that she is still 5 almost 6.  Any older, I would have gotten the hand..