Gavin is 5!

Doesn't FIVE sound so big? Geesh!  This boy has been ready to be five for a long, long time.  So the day finally arrived.  He woke up to a cool bike from mom and dad.  He was pretty pumped.  When we tested it out that morning he was a little hesitant because starting and stopping was tricky with it being taller, but after a quick lesson and refresher from dad, off he went and he hasn't looked back since.

Grandma Woolf sent a box of Skylanders and Grandma Robinson left a birthday package before they went on their mission.  In it were a few things, but the small guitar was a hit.

Unfortunately, Gavin's birthday morning was spoiled when I discovered gallons of water in his bedroom carpet that had been leaking from the fridge for a few days.  We did gymnastics class and then I dropped the three boys off at Shauna's so that Brian and I could get the flood cleaned up.  Timing was tight to make cakes and get ready for his party and clean up this mess, which was frustrating.  But we set the disaster aside long enough for me to frost a Death Star cake and have a water party with a bunch of little boys.  Although we felt bad that his day was tainted, he didn't seem to notice or mind too much.

He has good little friends in the neighborhood.  Attendees were: Luke from preschool, Rome Clegg, Chaseton Pearson, Ben Kinder, McKay, Ander Lovell, and Aidan Albrethsen.  They played water guns, noodles, and jumped on the tramp with sprinklers.  Add some cake and ice cream, and walah - a birthday bash fit for a big five-year-old.

Gavin,

You are such a good boy.  I am proud of you and what a good big brother you are.  You are kind and aware and have a good feel for what is right and wrong.  You beat yourself up when you make a bad choice - it's cute and sad all at the same time.  You don't have to be perfect.  Hopefully we don't put too much pressure on you.  But that may just come with the territory with being the oldest and all.

You help me so much around the house.  I can give you directions or ask you for a favor and you are willing to help.  You make your bed everyday, clear your plate, and ask how you can help.  You love watching Barney and Daniel Tiger, which is a switch from the justice league boys and Power Rangers. (I had to nix the Power Rangers because you and McKay were getting a little too violent for me...)  You are a pro at navigating the ipad and games on our phones.  You teach me how to work the thing!  Crazy.  It makes me wonder what the world will be like when you are a teenager.

You are going to start Kindergarten and are getting so big.  I will be sad to let you go, but know that you are ready.  I keep telling you to not grow up, but you tell me that you can't help it.  And you will love it.  I know that you are going to do great.

At night you have started hugging us super tight to show us "this is how much I love you."  You love bedtime stories and playing with your friends.  You want so badly to be one of the big kids and whenever we are with older cousins or friends, you jump right in and want to be with them.  "But I'm a big kid!!"  Don't want to be associated with the littles anymore...

I look at you all the time and think of how grown up you are getting.  That's just how it goes...  Even though sometimes I don't feel ready for you to get big and leave me.  There are worse things in life than being loved too much.

Smooch,
Mom