FIVE!!!

 

I am about a week late on the birthday post, but such is life these days, always late for something!  On Dec. 14th our little or should I say BIG boy turned 5!  I can't believe that he is already 5 yrs old.  I remember when he was just a few days old, looking down at him and thinking to myself, man 5 years seems a long way off, I wonder what he will be like when he is 5...and here we are!  He has accomplished so much in just one year! Overcoming great hurdles, and growing beyond measure.  He seems so old, but so young at the same time.  I thought him turning one was a rough one for me, but I will have to admit, that turning 5 hit me hard and fast and weeks before his actually birthday!  I guess maybe it is because he is no longer in a baby, toddler or even pre-k catagory anymore.  He will be in kindergarten next August and that makes me a little crazy!  We are so proud of the little man he has become!  He has the sweetest, most giving spirit!  He definitely takes on the first sibling roll well.  He is very independent, but still needs me sometimes and for that I am greatful, because I know that soon he will not!  Let me share a little example of how giving his little heart is and this is probably one of the proudest moments to date for me as a mom:  Every year before his birthday, we clean out all of his old toys that he truly does not play with, so we can make way for all the new stuff that he will get.  I always done this without him, because well, as most kids do, they finally want to play with it when you are wanting to get rid of it.  I decided that this year, I would get him invovled and he can learn a lesson in gving.  I was all prepared for this to be a disaster, not because he didn't want to give his stuff away, but because he has a great attachment to most of his cars and trains that are in his room.  He has always been very protective of his cars and trains.  Not any particular ones per say, just trains and cars in general.  I started talking to him about it a few days before hand and I didn't know if he completely understood what was going to happen, but we would soon find out.  The day came and I explained to him one more time what we were doing.  He said ok.  We made two piles, one to keep and one to give away.  I explained to him that the ones he gave away would go to some little boys that would not have anything to open on Christmas and that he would never see the toys he was given to the little boys again. He wanted to know what there names where(ha!).  I told him there were too many to know all of their names.  Anyway, as we went through his room he bagan to give away all of his cars and trains.  We made him stop and explain to us what he was doing, to make sure he understood.  He said, "momma, I am giving these toys to some little boy that doesn't have any so he will be happy at Christmas! If I don't give it to him he will be sad."  Ok, he gets it!  I tried to tell him that he didn't have to give every single car and train away!  He did keep some but insisted on giving about 90% of them away.  He kept saying this little boy is going to be so happy!  I found myself asking him, "don't you want to keep this one?"  Shame on me!  It actually became too much for me, I started to cry.  I couldn't believe that he was giving all his precious cars and trains away, the ones he had to have and sleep with and play with constantly.  I also couldn't believe how grown up he was being about it.  He was actually giving with a cheerful heart, because he wanted to, not because we were forcing him to.  We ended up with a huge garbage bag full of toys.  I let him go with me to take it to the children's shelter. He walked up and said, I have all these toys for a little boy and he is going to smile!!  MELT MY HEART!  He actually got the whole point of what I was trying to teach him!  Proud, Proud moment!!  He is growing up so very fast!  He still makes us laugh and still puts a smile on our face.  He is still very stubborn and strong willed, and we love that about him, even though sometimes we want to cry!  He went to his 5 yr well check yesterday and he is good to go!

 

He weighs: 38 lbs (50%)

His height is 42 in (25%)

 

His taste for food hasn't changed much.  Still pretty much likes the same foods as before. He is willing to try alot more things than before, so that is good!  He can put his shoes and socks without any assitance.  He still needs help fastening things, but can pretty much dress himself when he wants to.  He is pretty chatty these days and we love that!  He still loves to play outside and even asked for a skateboard for Christmas(we will see)! 

 

WE LOVE OUR BIG 5 YR OLD!