Is today really my REAL birthday?

Today is the day we celebrate Maya's 5th birthday! She has been so excited about turning 5; last night when I was trying to get the girls ready for bed, I told Maya she needed to go to sleep quickly because she'd be waking up in the morning as a 5-year-old. She closed her eyes and laid down on the floor and said, "I'm asleep!" I said, "So you want to skip your night-time video and go straight to bed?" (I pretty much knew the answer to that one!) No, Maya said, "I'll just fall asleep watching the video and you can carry me to bed!" (She didn't, and then the girls stayed awake in their beds for 2 hours, too wound up to sleep!) Today at her school we'll have pizza and cupcakes and juice (and apple slices, since mama wants to offer something healthy!). What a joyous day!

Then this morning at breakfast, Maya asked, "Is today really my REAL birthday?" Hmm, how to answer? We don't really know her REAL birthday. She was estimated to be born today and found three days later (we're luckier than many -- it's likely that her birthday is really right around the 15th, probably only off by a few days, since you can pretty much gauge age by umbilical cord when they're that little. Kids found when they are older can't even know if they are in the ballpark.)

TELL THE TRUTH. Isn't that what I advocated in an earlier post? OK. But how about figuring out exactly what she's asking? "What do you mean, Maya? Are you asking if this is like Saturday when we celebrated with Uncle Phillip and the boys since they wouldn't be in town today?" Maya: "Yes! Is today my REAL birthday?" Mama: "Today is really your OFFICIAL birthday!"

It's the truth. Not the whole truth, but the truth. And, I think, truth enough for today.