Adam is Five

At the end of Adam's birthday, I climbed up into his bunk bed to snuggle with him.  

"I love you forever", I told him.

"I love you for infinity google!" he told me.

Silence, then "Mom, you know that numbers never end?"

'"Just like my love for you," I said.  

It was a good day to turn five.  We had a big birthday party that took a day of shopping to prepare for, a day of fun, and then a day of recovering from.  We had a handful of Adam's friends over for a Wild Kratts birthday party, complete with Creature Power Challenges- cheetah tag, spider web spinning, bat power pinata, alligator power egg race, and a Wild Kratts version of "Marco Polo".  We had the party outside and the boys must have been subdued by the heat- they were all quite polite and calm for the entire party.  At one point Adam even told me, "Mom, sometimes when I'm really excited I just get very quiet".  He was definitely in observation mode, but everyone still managed to have a lot of fun!

I planned the party to be held during Noah's naptime and, of course, he didn't go to sleep.  When he finally couldn't take the birthday excitement anymore, I turned the party over to my sweet friend and sat in Noah's room, nursing him and wondering why I was trying so hard to make Adam's birthday so special.

The answer came easily- because Adam is so special to me, and so special to our family.  I occasionally wonder what life would be like if each of my children was my only child.  I love them each so completely, and I wish I could give each of them 100 percent of my attention and energy and patience.  Instead they are forced to share.  I just pray that someday they will be glad that while none of them got all of us, their mom and dad gave them all we could, and we gave them each other.  

In the last few months, Adam learned how to read.  And write well.  And ride a two-wheel bike.  He loves his preschool, his Legos, and his baby brother, who he is always quick to sing this song to- 

Noah's eating solid foods, doo-dah, doo-dah
Noah's eating solid foods, oh the doo-dah day
He is a big boy!
He is a big boy!

Noah's eating solid foods, oh the doo-dah day- Hey!

Emma loves to pick on Adam, and all too often he rises to the occasion.  We're working on that.  He loves black olives, Wild Kratts, solving math problems, and Legos!  He loves to run and jump and climb and figure out on his own whether I was telling him the truth or not when I tell him something is dangerous and that he could get hurt.  He's always sure to let me know when he didn't get hurt... and when he did. 

Adam has a strong testimony and a pure love for his Savior.  He is thoughtful and kind in his prayers and loves the temple.  

He is patient, and loves the concept of delayed gratification.  Back in November when my family was visiting, we were talking about "the marshmallow test", wherein four-year-old children were given one marshmallow and told that if they could wait 15 minutes they would be given two marshmallows.  Adam thought that sounded like a great idea, and sat patiently for the full 15 minutes, waiting for his second marshmallow.

He looks so little!

He seems to have plenty of time and patience and has no problem saying, 'that's okay, I'll just wait until next time.'  This works great for some choices (like which books to chose at the library) but not so great for other choices (like which flavor of ice cream to pick out at a restaurant).  But he likes to analyze ALL of of his choices and make sure that he is make the absolute very best one possible.  At meals I often here, "Which one tastes the best?  Which one is the healthiest for you?  Which one have I not had in the longest time?"  He needs to know that he is making the best choice.  He also hates to get rid of anything.  His personal treasure box is stuffed with birthday party favors, penny candy, seashells, cool tags from new clothes and beach towels, and an empty tube of toothpaste, all because "they're special to me!"  Some of the kids in our family could care less about pretty much anything, so this swing in the other direction is one that I find equally endearing and infuriating.  

Adam's "upside down red only rainbow" scar is special to him, and he occasionally runs to me, asking frantically whether his scar is still there.

He's decided that his stuffed stegosaurus should now be referred to as "Kid T-Rex" instead of the original "Baby T-Rex" that he was named when Adam was two.

Adam has a hard time watching me walk out the door, but we've figured out a way to combat separation anxiety- we take a picture together before I go to be texted to the adult left in charge.  We've created quite a collection of mother-son selfies in the last few months.

 And when Adam is giving his best smile of all, you can't even see his face!

He's our energetic, imaginative, sweet five-year-old boy, and we couldn't imagine our family without him.  Happy Birthday, Mr. Man!