Yea, five!
Do you remember The Cosby Show episode where then-five-year-old Rudy is feeling young and un-special, and her mom gives her a pep talk? Sitting with Rudy in a cardboard box Claire tells her:
Why not be proud of being five – like ‘Yea, five!?’ Think of all the wonderful things that five-year-olds can do. You can tie your own shoelaces. You can dial the phone, you can go to kindergarten. Last year you didn’t do any of that…
The scene, which ended with the two of them hugging and saying, “Yea, five!” as well as “Yea, old!” because that’s how old Rudy’s mom told her she was, aired when I was ten. But for whatever reason it has always stuck with me – and I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately, as Zoe’s birthday fast approaches.
This fictional mom was correct in that there’s tons to be proud of about being five. It’s an incredible age – where kids are still as innocent, sweet and curious about life as a younger child, but old enough to have their own independent thoughts and amazing ideas and to do things (like math!) that much bigger kids can do. Zoe impresses me on an almost daily basis – and I suspect that’s how Claire felt about Rudy too.
So, though I’m still in disbelief that I have a five-year-old (how can my baby be five??), I’m also very proud. And despite the inevitable feelings of nostalgia and sadness about the years that have gone by too fast, I know I’ll be thinking, “Yea, five!” at 11:11 PM tomorrow.
-M