Five

Dear Wip,

Today you are five. Five just seems so official. You are officially expected to use those manners we have been teaching, officially responsible for making good decisions, and officially becoming a positive role model for your little brother.

Your favorite meal is a hot dog, (juicy) grapes, and carrots. This menu equals a "happy plate" every time. Your favorite movie switches up between Dumbo, Wizard of Oz, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but the top favorite of the year is Frozen. Your favorite shows include Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Wild Kratts, and My Little Pony. Your favorite books change with the wind, but the one thing that sticks is that you love being read to. As much as I would like to write that I limit your screen time, I don't, but I will say that you get just as excited about a book as you do with playing on the ipad, so I am hoping that I am not completely failing as a parent in this area.

I could write an entire page about your favorite songs. Your typical requests include "Thriller" by Michael Jackson (you appropriately refer to the song as "The Creepy Howling" song), you can sing every word of "Step" by Vampire Weekend (you often say that this is "your" song). Both you and your brother go crazy over "Black and Yellow" (clean version) by Wiz Khalifa. But, I think my favorite of your favorites is "Mango Pickle Down River" by M.I.A. because you always crack up when the children sing (and you love pickles, only the long kind, not the slices).

The way you love your brother makes my heart hurt in an amazing kind of way. I had no idea that such a young soul could love someone else so deeply, but you do. You cheer him on, you share with him, and the way you make each other laugh creates enough happiness to turn any bad day around.

You are still set in your ways. When you learned about patterns it transitioned into your wardrobe. Each day you switch between wearing a collard shirt and a t-shirt. You lay your clothes out every day. I love this about you. Flexible because you do not love putting on the collard shirts, but also organized because you know what to expect each morning when you wake.

I think you are o.k. about the upcoming move. You talk about how much you will miss your house and your friends. You have a nice house, but even better friends. Preston, John, Caroline, Kaylen, Harrison (just to name a few!) will always hold a special place in your heart.

I know I have said this before, but I am just so happy you are mine. Even in my moments of complete frustration I look at you and wonder how the heck I got the opportunity to have you as my son. You make me so proud.

Before I ever had children, before I even met your daddy, I would daydream about being a mother. I would never think that I wanted my future child to be the biggest, or the fastest, or the smartest. I really just wanted my child to be kind. You have taken any expectation I once had before motherhood and exceeded it beyond my wildest dreams. Thank you for being kind. Thank you for being mine. Thank you for being you.

Wishing you the happiest of birthdays doodlebug.

I love you so much,
Mom