Top

Stephanie Howell

reading, organizing, shopping, momming too close to the sun. Home is wherever the Army sends us.

sometimes i wish

Sometimes I wish I was five.

Okay, I don’t want to be five, but sometimes I wish I still had the heart of a five year old. Pure and joyful…and unconcerned what everyone else is thinking.

0c1efb3e7ffc11e1abb01231381b65e3_7

Able to get up on a bench in the middle of the mall (wearing a tiara no less) and dance like a maniac. Limbs flailing, smile beaming.

What must it be like to not be self-conscious at all? To be able to quite simply do what makes you happy. No complications, no what-ifs, no i-probably-shouldn’t-do-thats.

B0be4e6a78d111e180c9123138016265_7
If you are five it’s still cool to stand outside of your mom’s car in the carpool line and wave and blow kisses. It’s perfectly acceptable to run by the car grinning and blowing even more kisses.

9d2bd94674e211e1989612313815112c_7
When you are five head to toe pink is a major fashion statement. In fact…the more pink the better! Mixing patterns is awesome. Flowers, butterflies…you name it.

IMG_0502

Five year olds become best friends immediately. No “should I talk to her” no “does she like me”. Just a simple I like her and she makes me happy so she’s my bestie.

 

It is such a gift to view life through her eyes. She reminds me what it’s really all about. She reminds me that all the other stuff doesn’t really matter. Every day is an adventure, every cookie is the best cookie ever. Her heart is right there…on her pink sleeve for everyone to see.

Gosh, I wish I could live like that. 🙂

Happy Good Friday sweet friends.xxo

s

Comments

  1. HOLY MOLY she is the SPITTING IMAGE OF YOU in the pink pic!!! she always looks like you but WOWZA that pink one is dead on!!!
    I agree, we should all live like a 5 y/o!! 🙂

  2. Such a lovely, heartfelt post Steph! Thanks for sharing! Me thinks I may just let go a little and be five again! 🙂

  4. That was so touching. I look at my six year old and think the same thing. What changes in us that makes us fear, judge, question ourselves? I hope she keeps that confidence, awareness and never lets it go. Thanks for the thoughtful post.

  6. You are such a talented writer, capturing life as it happens! And you are clearly doing a wonderful job as a mama too, her heart is an amazing reflection of parents who value being true to oneself. Ah to be five again!

  8. Aw, love this post. She’s so sweet. I miss you guys! 🙂
    And I’m so excited for you to move to RI! Do you know where you’ll live yet? When you get there, I have something I want to send you! And I highly recommend the Newport County YMCA. 😀 And Newport Creamery. 😉 Oh, you lucky girl!!!!

  9. Funny you say this. My sister and I took my 20 month old daughter to get all our pictures taken for my mom for Mother’s Day. As my daughter was playing blocks with the other kids and running up to random people to say hi, I was thinking the same as you. Oh to be as outgoing and lacking in inhibitions as my small child. She’s not shy at all. I love that and hope she keeps it as she grows up

  11. I love reading your thoughtful and observant posts, i find them so inspiring and refreshing especially on this beautiful Spring day :). Have a wonderful weekend!

  12. Such a very lovely post — a reminder to me to be more carefree and open. Thanks again for your heartfelt words.

  13. Absolutely loved this post…all of us need to be reminded of the 5-year-old-self within ourselves! Thank you for the reminder. Your girl is such a cutie.
    Happy Good Friday to you!

  14. Awww…..what a sweet post!! And so true!
    Secret: sometimes me and my teens dance a little like no one is looking :p

  17. this is so funny, we were just talking about this the other day, i just LOVE how innocent and fun Lucy is. Her and your girl would get on great in fact

  21. What a beautiful post, Steph. She is soooo adorable and just incase you don’t know it…She looks soooooooo much like you! Hugs Steph, and congrats on your new job with MME!!! You’re doing a wonderful job!

  25. I love this post Stephanie! It almost makes me ache inside how fast my kids are growing up – my youngest is 14 – but I remember this age. I almost remember when I was this age 🙂 Watching the 2 little girls holding hands reminds me of my bestie when I was a little older than that. Thanks for sharing this unique view and reminder of the way things should be 🙂

  27. I really wish my kids were that age again. It is so refreshing like you said. Have a nice Easter weekend.

  28. So true! Such an awesome post and a gentle reminder that we all need to try to live a little bit more like they do. Thanks so much for sharing.

  30. I see theater in her future. My youngest boy (who is 17) is the complete opposite…anyone seen him? is he here? oh, there you are…have you been here the whole time?

  31. Beautifully written, Stephanie, as usual. I think you do a FABULOUS job of mothering and enjoying every drop of life. Hello, where do you think Harper got it from? 😉
    Have a wonderful Easter weekend with your beautiful girls!

  32. what a very true post, sometimes I wish my daughter were five again, life was simpler for her…now she’s in jr. high and it is all about what your wearing, who’s popular, who likes who, who has the best clothes, SO MUCH drama and judgement amoung girls…I love the 12 year old little person she is, and keep telling her that’s it’s okay to be who you are, I think I will let her read this post…not easy growing up is it?, have a great Easter weekend, your little Harper is quite a beauty 🙂 looks like her mama 🙂

  33. I miss those days with my girls… things were so simpler, especially with the friends thing. This is how it should be. Life gets so complicated when you get older. I hope you had a good Easter!!!

  35. Love this post! I think you have hit the nail on the head for most people, wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone could just be themselves and not worry about what other people thought! 🙂

  38. So true and you said it so well. My daughter is 5 and she is like that. I dread when all that has to change, I love seeing the world thru my daughter’s eyes. Thanks for sharing. Denise

  40. Just seeing this picture again made my eyes well up. I miss you and your sweet family so much.