The Joys Of Two Boys: At FIVE years old...!!!!

Today, Benjamin & Joseph, you are 5 years old.

This age has been so much fun!

If it's possible, I think I love you even more than I did at 4.

Boys, at FIVE years old...

You Both...

Fill my life with the kind of joy that is so deep it almost hurts sometimes! Watching you play, create, and learn is the best thing I get to do.

Are each other's best friends. You fight, but you also share an understanding of humor, play, and togetherness that is hard to put into words.

Love knock-knock jokes. You don't "get" them yet, and yours make no sense at all, but it is guaranteed giggles and belly laughs if we tell them!

Love all things Superhero or Star Wars.

Take a 1 hour rest time (in bed with books) each day; about 20% of the time you still sleep. At night you sleep from 8:30ish to 6:30ish. I have been occasionally finding you asleep on the floor in your room rather than in your beds.

Are interested in science (especially biology). You want to know how everything works. Your favorite show is Wild Kratts (all about creature science).

Ask a lot of "Whys?" I try to answer as many as I can, but sometimes I have to say "I don't know" at which point you ask me "Mommy, can you ask the computer?" {ha!} We love all the information, pictures, and videos available to help us learn on the web.

Enjoy all things water...swimming, water squirters, water balloons, baths, "washing" dishes...

Have consistent and mutual imaginary friends. "Jack" (who started as a baby, but has grown up over the past few months and is now a teenager), "Moka Loka" (who is a "teenager who is about 33" [direct quote!]) and two babies, "Patrick" and "Junior." {don't ask me why or how!??} And both boys agree!

Choose "guys" (Batman and Star Wars) to play with the most. You also like to build with K'nex or Legos and are beginning to be able to follow simple picture directions to build things.

Have become much more interested in organized games and sports. You can be patient for a turn, understand directions, follow rules, and stick with the game for a while. Games where there is only one winner are hard for you (Candyland & Penguin Pat's Fishy Business, for example) and often end in tears. We usually choose to play games and activities where everyone has some success and gets some "points": memory, hide-n-seek, baseball, etc. Major sports still get mixed up quite a bit (for example, you sometimes score "touchdowns" while playing baseball in the back yard).

Enjoy going on "errands" with Dad on Saturdays (one boy every-other-Saturday, while the other goes shopping with Mom). Usually this involves stops at places like the bank, Medicap, Home Depot/Menards, and ends with a lunch of "Daddy food!" Your favorite restaurant is El Charro, where you get free chips and you both always order "Salchy Pulpos" (Octopus Hot Dogs).

Love, love, love books and being read to. We read before every nap, at bedtime, and many other times during the day as well. Our library is a weekly visit and we always have a huge bag of books. The staff knows you by name there and they know what types of books you enjoy. You often come and ask me to read to you, and at least once a day I will find you with a book in your lap. Our favorite books right now are by Mercer Mayer. You also like the Bernstein Bears series and anything by Richard Scary, but really you like just about everything! We have been using the "Honey for a Child's Heart" book list this summer and have found many new books to love.

Love your family. All of them are special to you.

Have taken a mild interest in "Army Guys" (plastic medieval soldiers, like Dad's), and get very excited when Dad lets you pick a color and then spray paints one for you.

Are eager to "help" with things around the house and I am more and more trying to let and teach you how. Simple things like sweeping, putting your plate in the dishwasher, taking something to the trash, vacuuming, loading the washing machine and switching to the dryer, folding and putting away underwear.

Are able to hold actual conversations now and are developing and articulating opinions and ideas.

You eat a lot! I joke with Daddy that the #1 thing you say is, "I'm hungry, Mommy!"

Often pray at meal time. You mostly say "Thank you for...food, mommy and daddy, [something you had fun playing], and creation."

Still think underwear and pajamas are the best articles of clothing {ha!}.

Want to pick your own cloths and can dress yourself including buttons. You dress alike often still, but about 20% of the time you are clothed differently now.

Are still riding in a 5 point harness car seat, but you can latch and unlatch it by yourself. We have just started using a booster seat when in Daddy's car.

Like to sit and look at pictures with me and you also like to take photos and then see the results. The funnier the face the better the picture. However, you do not like me taking your picture, and it is a fight just to get the obligatory "cheese" photo smile.

Love it when I take you to parks.

Occasionally ride on a riding toy -- usually your big wheels. However, you usually just prefer to run or bounce.

Cannot tie shoes yet, or ride a bike without training wheels, but I know those things are coming soon. :)

Joseph, you...

Weigh 41 1/2 lbs. and are 43 1/2 inches tall.

Wear size 5/6 pants, XS shirts, and size 11 shoes.

Always wake up at 6:30 or earlier with rare exceptions. You definitely need more sleep than your brother and are most likely to need an early bedtime or nap. You are the early bird!

Are cautious about climbing and large motor skills activities. You have to watch someone else a few times before you work up the courage to try it.

Love to draw. You can make pretty detailed people now and sometimes I can tell what animal you have drawn. You also are starting to make pretty readable letters.

Do not like big noises (fireworks, large bands) and will cover your ears with both hands. However, you have no problem being noisy yourself!!!

Want very much to read. You are trying to figure it out. You can put simple blends together and read/sound out/write words like "cat," "big," etc.

Can count to 100.

Favorite foods are: Cheese, ice cream, bananas, grapes, strawberries, spaghetti, mac-n-cheese or noodles, carrots, turkey & Swiss sandwiches...

Are my more detailed child. You take the time to make things look the way you want them to. For example, you make sure that a sticker faces the right direction when you put it on. You become frustrated when you feel like something isn't "right."

Make it very obvious that your love language is gifts. You treasure what people give you, big and small & love to give gifts yourself.

Still think "tickling is not a joke" and do not like being tickled at all!

Still come find me every-time you wake up for a hug. You are slow to embrace those you don't know, but you still very much want to be hugged and cuddled by Mommy. Daddy is a good second.

Often will verbalizes your affection to me with, "I love you more than anything, Mommy!" exclamations.

Sleep every night (no matter how hot) under your frog quilt. You still like your "lovies" in bed with you and also seem to rotate through "favorite" special animals such as: Koala, Froggie, and most recently your new Gremlin, "Izmo".

Are a very deep and quiet sleeper, and sometimes talk in your sleep.

Like to pretend your animals are babies & toddlers.

Benjamin, you...

Weigh 37 1/2 lb and are 41 inches tall.

Wear size 5T pants and shirts, and size 10 shoes.

Will sometimes sleep in until 8:00 or so (if your brother doesn't wake you up!). You are least likely to nap during the day and take longer to settle in at night (the night owl!).

Are fiercely independent and tell us "I can do it!" all the time. If we try to help, you will undo it so you can do the entire thing without help. You want to figure things out for yourself.

Are a thrill seeker. You like going high, fast, and in circles. At the park, you climb to the top of everything and can go across the monkey bar ladder thing without help. You loved the tilt-a-whirl at the North Pole!

Can "pump" your own swing.

Love being told stories. Especially real ones and will ask to hear them over and over. If you overhear a story (even mundane ones), you want them explained on your level. ("What are you TALKING about???") You also create many stories in your playtime.

You will memorizes entire pictures books and then love to read them back with great expression. Your favorites have been "Nightmare In My Closet" and "Alligator Under My Bed."

You still sleep with your blankies and they must have a little hole in the binding for you to keep your finger in. You hold it close to your face just like you did when you sucked your thumb (but of course without the thumb in now!).

Rarely wake up when I check your blood sugar at night. When I have to give you glucose tablets, you almost chew them in your sleep, rarely even opening your eyes.

Are very tenderhearted. You notice the needs and emotions of others. You love babies and are always very concerned if they cry and need to be assured that their mommy is taking care of them. You always want to make sure things are equal and fair and you will ask "for" Joseph if you are concerned he is being overlooked.

Love to be tickled and ask us to do it. Also, you have the best, most infectious, giggle ever!

Are still very timid with adults and older kids you don't know and occasionally still don't want mommy to leave you if you are unfamiliar with a situation.

Are an amazing eater and will eat almost everything. You especially like frozen blueberries, turkey sandwiches on whole wheat bread, melon, grapes, and coconut popsicles; you are not a big fan of drinking milk anymore.

Like to cut the grass in our yard with scissors and do it often.

Enjoy looking at maps, and easily memorize the location of states and cities (where we live, where grandparents live, etc.).

Amaze me with how you handle everything that comes with being a type-one diabetic. You never fuss about finger pokes and rarely about shots. Right now you get an average of six shots each day and we check your blood sugar an average of 8 times each day. You never identify when you are high, but sometimes will tell us when you are low by saying "I'm hungry" When you are high you tend to get very goofy.

Sing with me at night when I am singing to you before bed.

Love music. You remember songs after only hearing them once or twice. You have an amazing ability to imitate vocal inflections and rhythms. You are a pretty good singer, but you don't like to sing in front of anyone other than Mom, Dad, & Joe.

* * * * *

Happy Fifth Birthday, Boys!!!!

I can't wait to see what God has planned for this next year.

May you love God most & love others more than yourself.

"I love you to the moon and back" & "I'll eat you up I love you so!"

~ Mommy