Five.

Dear Michal, Dear Kenna,

Today was your fifth birthday. Five. How is it possible that you both are now five? You seem so grown up and you like to remind me that you're not little girls anymore. I actually tried to make a deal with you to stay four but you wouldn't go for it. You insisted that you wanted to be five and stood beside me to show me just how tall you've gotten. I love how you think age and height are directly connected. You asked me how tall you'll be when you're 100. You then went on to tell me that you are way too big for our house now and that you need to live in a castle.

You know I actually can remember being five. I remember an exceptionally-cute pink polyester pantsuit I had and how upset I was when I got grass stains on the knees at preschool. I remember not being allowed to cross the street -- and crossing it anyway. And I remember having two braids, curled under to make a loop, in my hair. I really hope that you both remember today.

You woke up in a hotel room at Disney World -- what better place in all the world could there be to turn five? -- and the first thing you saw was a bouquet of birthday balloons. For both of you, balloons mean a birthday party. Michal, you wondered out loud who had gone and gotten the balloons and Kenna, you just wanted to make sure you were still having a party in Cinderella's castle and that it wasn't somehow moving to our hotel room.

You got dressed in your "5" dresses and I pinned on your special Disney "It's My Birthday" buttons. We got to the Magic Kingdom and headed right to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. You each got your very own fairy godmother who transformed you into a birthday princess -- not that you needed any help in my humble opinion.

The people sitting beside us commented that listening to your conversation with your fairy godmothers made their day. It made my day too. You took the whole thing very seriously. The hairdo pictures they showed you had little girls with pierced ears and Michal, you must have told your fairy godmother 10 time that you did not want earrings. And Kenna, you reminded your fairy godmother that, "little girls are not allowed to wear makeup." You lit up like a Christmas tree though when I told you it would be OK for you to wear little girl eyeshadow and lip gloss. You both asked a million questions and discussed with great sincerity who your favorite princess is and which princess is the fanciest. Your fairy godmother asked me, with a smile, if you two were always this funny. I told her you absolutely were.

We had lunch in Cinderella's Castle with all the princesses. You both got a little cake with Minnie Mouse sprinkles and we sang to you. This would be just the first of many cakes celebrating your birthday today. We had dinner at the Crystal Palace with Winnie-the-Pooh, Eeyore, Tigger and Piglet. You each got a cupcake and then a cake to share -- and two more rounds of "Happy Birthday." When Pooh had a parade through the restaurant the two of you grabbed hands and went to the front of the parade. Poor Pooh wasn't quite sure what to do so he just followed behind you, as did everyone else.

You wore your princess dresses -- and your "It's My Birthday" buttons -- all day long. Countless people told you "happy birthday" and you beamed every time they did. We saw two parades today and then a beautiful fireworks show, which you were positive was in your honor.

I hope all your birthdays are filled with as much wonder and magic -- and cake! -- as today was.

Happy, happy birthday my special girls. And hey, that offer to stay four still stands.

Love,

Mommy