5 Years Master Jedi

Dearest Mason,

Five!!! I remember things from when I was five. You turning five is something I always thought of as so far away, that age when you would start Kindergarten and become a kid, not just my baby. And now were here and for me it's a bittersweet feeling. You had two birthdays this year; a turkey day gathering and a Jedi jump fest at Big Time jump with your friends. 

Since Thanksgiving always falls somewhere between the 24th-28th of November, you will get to have some Thanksgiving birthdays.

Turning five was your first Thanksgiving birthday. You were pumped to have the big spread. There was so much food that I thought a pumpkin pie would serve well as a "birthday cake" and since you are not much of a dessert guy you gladly accepted.

Your Dad cooked up a beautiful bird for you in his new infrared cooker...pound chest and I made a traditional one in the oven. Both were good but mine was better.

Our Family gathered to celebrate you, how thankful we are for you, and the multitude of blessings in our lives that God gives us daily.

You really are something else, light and love and all of god's graces wrapped up into one 45-inch tall boy.

This last year has been full of adventures....adventures are something you have always liked. I think its your Sagittarius tendencies paired with being a first born but maybe its just who you are. Last January when we went to Maui you really took that independence to a new level. Dad and I went out for a nice dinner date (something we rarely do) and left you with Papa and Grandma. Grandma was upstairs with Max (because he was only 3 months old at the time) and Papa took you downstairs to the hotel grounds to see all of the Koi ponds when suddenly you fled. He couldn't keep up with your sprinting and he lost sight of  you. Papa was so scared because he didn't know if you went back up the condo or out the front of the hotel. After asking several people if they had seen you  he decided to head back upstairs. In the meantime you had done exactly that, gone upstairs, you loved pushing the elevator buttons and knew exactly where 

to go (thank god we had worked so hard on numbers). When Grandma opened the door and asked "where is Papa?" you told here he "had a heart attack on the grass!" She began to panic and get her shoes on....just than Papa returned. Needless to say your "story telling" and "fleeing" got you in a bit of trouble and a long talking to about 

strangers and safety. When I think of this story now I laugh. Its amazing how much more grown up you seem to me 11 months later. I really think the jump from 4-5 has been drastic, you are such a little boy now. In regards to that experience, I do have to say "I hope your kids return the favor someday."  

This summer we made the decision to change schools. To have you start in the Charter near our home and to leave The Academy where you attended a few years of pre-school two days a week.

You and change have never been "good friends" but you truly embraced this new world with grace.

You started Pre-kindergarten in Ms. Robinson's class with 18 other classmates this past August. You are attending the afternoon class three days a week for three hours. The school is academically driven and you have homework every week. I know at 4 and 5 that sounds crazy but you love it. You love routine and are very diligent about doing your work in the classroom and right when you get home. And I mean right when you get home, no snack or bathroom break just finishing your work. Kinda cracks me up and I hope you keep this trait:-)We had your conference recently and your

teacher had nothing but wonderful things to say about how bright you are. How well you listen but the thing that she said that stuck out so deeply with Dad and I is that "Mason is the kindest friend we have in the class." You don't like to see other people hurt or left out, you stick up for the kids having a hard time and you try to include everybody. Kindness and hard work are the motto in our house and we are so proud you practice that.

Of course you are still an energetic boy and have the stubbornness of an Ox. Your world rises and sets to the beat of sports, star wars and hero's of any type. Your cousin Luke is going to college this next year at University of Minnesota be a pitcher on their baseball team. You think that is the coolest thing ever. He is always a great cousin to give you time to throw you some pitches.

We also decided it was time to get all of our feet wet in the world of team sports. We went pretty plain vanilla with the YMCA youth soccer program but you dug it. The first practice and game had Dad and I a little concerned that you weren't ready; head in the clouds paired with random Jedi moves on the field had Dad and I sitting apart and acting like those sports parents we despise.

After having you watch some soccer on TV and practicing every night in our yard you blossomed into a little ymca soccer star

 We are so excited to cheer you on in those adventures.

Here are a few highlights of age four since I have not been diligent about the blog. 

Max's first birthday

Family picnic at your great grandparents senior home. 

Sunscreen Self application in Maui

 Spider-Man brothers.

The "ear" triplets or a dad and his mini-mes. Early summer 2013

Mom and Mason time on the ATV's at Grandma and Papa's, Labor Day 2013.

Majestic View Park, Spring 2013. Since you became mobile you have had a need to climb.

You, Max, and Fisher dog at breakfast time. Some of our best conversations happen during breakfast.

Uncle Nick turned 30 and got a superhero birthday cake just for you, February 2013. 

Glennwood Springs trip May 2013, alpine coaster. "Don't touch the brakes ever Dad!"

Age four has been a very fun one with lots of moments.

My dear son you have been one of our greatest adventures. The past five years have been the best and I sit here knowing how lucky we are to call you our son, even when your being a feisty one and we have to stick you in a bucket.

All my heart,

Momma