{five}

Five years ago today, I was pacing the halls of the hospital in the throes of a very long labor. I spent the whole night laboring, hoping, watching the sun rise. The thought of having a baby in my arms seemed so surreal. Five years later, it seems surreal that this didn't just happen yesterday.

I was pretty worried that he wouldn't be up to his birthday celebration. Thursday night, he was hit with a stomach flu that kept us up all night long. Friday afternoon, he was still sick. When I got home at 3 that afternoon, he was sleeping. I was so sad. Friday night, he started to turn a corner and seemed better. We crossed our fingers and he woke up Saturday morning feeling better. We pushed his party back to Sunday and despite his tummy still feeling a little funny (poor buddy didn't eat any cake or ice cream), he had a great day.

He isn't always patient and kind with Tommy... I can't totally blame him because Tommy is a bit of a maniac, but I love it when I catch him being an incredibly sweet older brother.

Even though he didn't eat any cake, he loved blowing out the candles.

He requested that Shane make him a banana cake with caramel frosting. The funny thing is, that's what he had for his first birthday smash cake.

Almost five has been a little frustrating at times; this huge balance between being a big kid and a little kid. More often than not, it's been fantastic. Watching him grow at preschool has been so incredible. Talking to his teachers and caregivers and learning how much they like him, how sweet and good he is, has been a huge blessing. Watching him develop this personality and this sense of being his own human has been simply amazing.

I know a lot of super good bloggers who do birthday interviews on their kids' birthdays, but I am not that with it. I would like to be, but the best I could do was talk to Luke about some of his favorite things. If I'm with it enough to do this next year, it'll be neat to compare... but don't count on it!

Luke's favorites...
Colors: purple and pink
Food: baked potato with sour cream and pepper
Animal: horse
Thing to do at school: play soccer at recess
Candy: black licorice and black licorice jelly beans [my note: eww]
Dessert: Cake and blue moon ice cream with sprinkles
Clothing: Birthday suit!
And then he started giggling and any hope of asking him any more favorites was gone.

He is so sweet. I am pretty lucky to call him mine.
Luke through the years...
Fourth birthday
Third birthday
Second birthday