FIVE YEARS OLD

My Benny turned five on Mother's Day. I can hardly believe it. He's signed up for Kindergarten next year and I want to cry and jump up and down with excitement for him. The month after he was born I turned 39, so he's a later in reproductive years surprise, the best surprise ever after years of infertility (My daughter's story is on this blog for the background). I thought she would be the only one I was finally able to have. We were giving the crib away, and although I longed for, but never expected another child, we were blessed with our Benny.

* You are really into Lego Batman and Lego minifigures lately. You watch the opening and creation of "blind bags" on YouTube and are just obsessed with them. It doesn't keep you from losing the pieces though. One bag you received the mystery figure and wow, were you excited!

* We've been attending speech therapy for you for the last three months? You are kind of shy with your therapist, overall it's helped but we are still working on "L" sounds.

* You love your friends at Pre-K. Lilly, Jack, Abby, Landen. We've spent the last five years at a daycare that has been like family. It's tough to leave. We decided to put Benny in camp with his sister for the summer. I'm a little concerned because he is the youngest and been in a small center for his entire life. But we thought it would be good for him to be outside more and get to go on field trips. They swim everyday and he *Hates* swimming, but I was told there is an alternate activity (the library).

* Your hair is growing regularly and I really need to find someone to cut it that does a good job. It's sort of his defining characteristic.

* You finally started riding your Big Wheel and there is NO STOPPING YOU. You're super fast and go for two miles easily.

* About six months you've been obsessed with your Curious George storybook. I think Daddy is getting tired of reading it at bedtime.

*You've been a not so great eater anymore. You ask for chicken nuggets and that's about it. Often, very little of your dinner is eaten. You don't even like fruit much anymore.

* Your favorite place to eat is MOD pizza or the Coney Island.

* YOU love pop music.

* This year you took Jazz and Tap classes and really, really liked them. You watch last year's dance recital video every day and ask when dance class is. You're still the only boy in your classes.