Henry's Birthday ~ Celebraing 5 Big Years of Life

Last week, our son Henry turned a very big 5 years old.  It was big for him - because he had been asking for weeks when the day would arrive - and big for me, because I couldn't wrap my mind around the reality that he really was turning 5, especially since the memories of his birth are still so fresh in my mind.  It really does seem like yesterday that he joined our growing family.

Every minute of his life has brought something beautiful to the world (except the tantrum and time out moments of course).  It's difficult to remember my life before Henry, before any of our children, because my life with him in it is so much richer, more fulfilling. 

For Henry every age has had its phases. Last year at this time he had a thing for moose.  Everything was moose.  I even made him a moose birthday cake.  This year it's hunting, cowboys, fishing and farming, so of course I had to make a cake to match his interests.  He is also very excited about starting kids wrestling, and at least once a week he parades around in his singlet, tackling stuffed animals and letting everyone know that it's finally his turn to go to wrestling too.

He's an official preschooler this year.  Every morning at breakfast, he asks me, "So, mom, what are we going to do for "skewel" today??"  His vocabulary is so charming.  Recently, we've has a skunk hibernating under our house, and so Steve has set a skunk trap near it's burrow.  Each day last week, Henry asked if he could go check the "snuk" trap.  

A little joy I'm delighting in right now is our recent meal-time routine.  Henry scarfs down his food then spends the next 15 minutes watching me eat, and asking me if I'm finished.  Once I say yes, he tiptoes around the table and crawls onto my lap, grabs my arms and folds them around his little frame.  I cannot tell you how much I love this!!

We started out his long-awaited day with our traditional birthday breakfast.  The children would be scarred for life if I ever failed to see this tradition through.  We always enjoy a homemade baked-good that is super sweet and super yummy.  Usually I make cinnamon rolls, but for Henry it was cinnamon streusel muffins.  

After breakfast, each child takes turns sharing his gift with the birthday boy.  This is so fun to watch, because usually the giver is more excited than the receiver!  The boys gave him a bow and arrow set and some walkie-talkies.

Steve and I were excited too. Since Henry loves Davy Crockett we gave him a costume and Kentucky rifle.  He had us in stitches all day long running around outside aiming his new pop gun at birds and doing the army crawl around the farm.

Over the weekend, some of Henry's friends came over to play and we watched the K-State football team.  The plan was for the kiddos to eat outside, but they ended up taking over the living room, while the adults huddled around the food and the little TV in the kitchen.  We had Henry's favorite - cheeseburgers!

Henry is all boy.  Rough and tumble.  Wild and free. Silly and sometimes serious and strong, trying to keep up with his older brothers, and wanting to prove that he's as tough and fast and as smart as they are.  Yet, in so many ways, he's not like they are at all, and I'm thankful for that.  He's just himself, 100% Henry.  What a gift it is to be his mommy!!