Preston is FIVE!

You're nine days and one haircut short of turning five in this picture

Dear Preston,

Today you are five.  FIVE.  I look at you and am slayed by how grown up you are - - what a young man you are becoming.  Daddy and I regularly shake our heads at something you say or do... smiling as we marvel at how fast five got here. 

You recently went to the doctor for your five year well child check and kindergarten physical.  You answered the doctor's questions with such confidence, informing her of your peanut allergy, your love of sports and when she asked if you can write your name you said, "Since I was three."  I cracked up.  She looked at me and asked if that was true which, of course, it was.  She deemed you ready for kindergarten in the fall.  I was thinking that there should be a form that they fill out to determine whether mommy is ready for you to be in kindergarten!

At five you are:

- 43.5 inches tall and 43.5 pounds.  Pretty cute stats, mister.

- You wear a size 1 shoe in most brands.  But, I recently bought you a velcro pair at Payless for you to destroy in the backyard when you dig in the dirt and play with Toby and they are a size 12.5.  Weird.  All I know is your feet are growing like crazy and all of your pants are floods.  You still blow through the knees of jeans within a month.  That's something that hasn't changed!

- Like your daddy, you carry chapstick in your pocket all the time and this makes you seem very big to me.
For some reason, your lips are always chapped. (See that first picture!) Thankfully, you recognize this fact and know that carrying chapstick and using it is important.

- You rock your site words and are reading really well.  I take your education seriously, but also am doing my best to not breathe down your neck at this stage... you are five and I refuse to join in the competitive mothers' playground conversations about how their soon-to-be kindergartners are doing second grade math and reading at a third grade level.  I can already tell you will put plenty of pressure on yourself.

- You are a perfectionist... and that's good and bad.  We are trying to teach you about balance... you don't have to be great at something to enjoy it.  Learning takes time and practice - - whether it's academics or sports.

You and daddy at the Long Beach Grand Prix
You had so much fun!

- You are still totally into all things athletic.  You are busy... not hyper-active, just really, really busy.  You have been to your first car races and have spent a considerable amount of time at the driving range with Daddy. You still want to take ice skating lessons, so to help with that, Daddy picked out roller blades for you to learn better balance for ice skates.  Our other gifts to you were portable soccer goals and a practice return-net that bounces balls you throw or kick back to you. Daddy let you have the practice net early so that you could work on stuff while he was at work.  You're out there all the time!

Your first day at the driving range... look at your form!
CRAZY!

- You LOVE your baby brother.  LOVE him.  I was never really too worried about how you'd adjust to being a big brother.  You are a loving younger (but bigger) brother to Gracie, so I figured it would be old hat to you.  But, I wasn't prepared for exactly how much you'd adore Gavin.  Not once have you been jealous (and that I was a bit concerned about).  He's your baby.  You love to talk to him, keep him company, soothe him if he fusses, make him giggle, you kiss him all the time and chat with him about your day.   You also have, quite hilariously, asked, "Mommy, can you please turn Gavin down?" as though he has a mute button and I can lower his voice when he is fussing. 

I love this picture so much. 

In the early morning, I often bring Gavin into our room and he goes to sleep for another hour or so after he nurses.  On this particular morning, daddy was at work.  You crawled into my bed with Gavin around 6:30 and the two of you melted my heart.  But, what melted it even more was when you both woke up and I listened to you playing with him.   My mommy heart swelled beyond belief and I will never forget that morning.

- You are incredibly kind-hearted.  That's so important.

- You always make your rounds through the house and say good-bye to everyone... Gracie, Gavin, Toby... telling them where you are going and when you'll be back.  I love that you think of everyone else (most of the time!). You LOVE and ADORE your sister and brother. How you treat them, how you speak to them, how you take care of them - - truly warms my heart.

Happy kids who love each other... what more could parents ask for?

- You love playing with the bigger kids in the neighborhood - - even if they have siblings your age.  Sometimes I think it's because you can almost keep up with them, so it's more fun and challenging. 
Just the other day, our friend, Nick, a fifth grader, was walking by and said, "What up, Preston?!" And you said, in a very confident, deep voice, "What up, Nick?!"  The adult neighbors who heard this exchange cracked up.

- You love taking Toby to the dog beach with daddy.  I don't know who has more fun or who is more worn out when you guys get back in the car!

- You have a great sense of humor and say the funniest things... even when you aren't necessarily trying to be funny.

After a rough Friday morning trying to get ready for school when Gavin was just a few weeks old, you whispered to him in the backseat of the car, "Gavin, sometimes mommy is mean." You weren't whining or crying, just very matter-of-fact and letting him know how things are.
I sat in the front seat trying so hard not to laugh out loud.

Back in August, I typed the following into a draft document because it was so hilarious to me...

Preston's name is in big wood letters on his wall above his closet. The P fell down and I hadn't yet put it back up. He and I were playing hide 'n seek. All of the sudden, I hear a thud and crying. I go into his room, looking toward his bed and shelves figuring he climbed something he wasn't supposed to. I hear him to my right, look over and he is in his hamper, tipped over against his chair. I can't help it... and start laughing. I did ask if he was okay as I pulled him out, still chuckling. He was laughing and crying at the same time.

I checked his head for a bump, asked if he would be alright and he said, "no." Then I went through my standard silly questions with him when he bonks his head... one of which is, "What is your name?" He looked at me and said, "Reston... see..." and pointed up to his wall, where it did, in fact read, "Reston." HILARIOUS. And definitely, no permanent damage done to his noggin or his sense of humor.

You also keep daddy out of trouble.
Once we moved to this house, you were very afraid of your room (huge room with huge windows) and it took an act of congress to get you to sleep in there alone. After Gracie's summer in the hospital when you were three, you became very codependent at bedtime. Because of daddy's schedule and my need to also care for Gracie at night, it was hard to lay down the law. Nana helped us with some tough love with you and got you to go to sleep on your own. Now, when daddy reads to you at night, if he starts to fall asleep, you nudge him and say, "Daddy, you know the rules. You're not supposed to sleep in here. You have to go now so I can go to sleep by myself." It's so funny. In fact, sometimes daddy pretends to doze off now just so he can hear you say it!

You are so many wonderful things, Bubby.  Like I tell you all the time... and now you say it to me...

"Do you know what, Bubby?"    "What, mama?"
"I love you."
"Do you know what else?"    "What, mama?"
"You're special."

Happy fifth birthday, little man.
With all my heart,
Mommy