the big O-6.

for months, the little girl's been talking about advancing to the next age on her birthday, the fraction after her present age getting smaller and smaller by day. i've been looking at cards, trying to find a good one, a readable one, but mostly, one that references "6"! by this age, though, it seems both hallmark and america greeting have added a gender piece - the "girl" cards are pink and cursive, with fairies and princesses, while the "boy" cards are bold and blue and emblazoned with fast cars and superheroes. take out the boy reference and this is the best card i can find: the sentiment is long but decodable, the card folds in on top of itself many times, and it references six about seven times! so i doctor the card, covering boy with a trimmed yellow post-it note and writing girl. i know she'll notice, but i hope she won't mind. and i left the accompanying blue envelope in the rack and took a pink one from behind a fairy card.