Ezekiel is turning 5!

Five is again, a difficult year for me.   With the girl it was realizing how big she is getting.  With the boy it's not only how big he is getting...but realizing...I no longer have "small children"...I just have...kids.   Weird right?   Now I have two school age children.  I was a preschool teacher for about 10 years, it's where I have thrived, felt comfortable, and now I am putting that behind me and moving forward with my school-age kids, and I don't know if I'm ready!  Kids have a way of doing that...pushing you forward.

He is so ready to be five.   He also seems to know it's a "big-kid" age.  He has the guts and gusto to be big, so he is ready to have the number to go with it.   He has been out to conquer the world since he was born and the bigger he gets, the more excited he is to do it.

He loves being outdoors to play and explore.  I love seeing this with my kids.  I am so thankful for my giant front window where he has the independence to be out on his own, but I can safely watch him from a distance as he imagines, creates and plays in his own world.

He is genuinely compassionate and graceful.   He is exceptionally quick to make right wrongs, apologize or show forgiveness.   He may be the one to more often make me want to pull my hair out...but he is also the one to more often be quick to apologize or make me smile.   He pushes boundaries, but he sure learns in the process.    For two years his sister wanted to have a "all girls" party, which made him sad, but I let her (Fancy Nancy tea party wasn't a place I really trusted a 3 year old boy).  Yet for two years when he said he was going to have an "all boy" party, he in the end changes his mind and invites his sister.  I actually tried to talk him out of it this year, reminding him his sister didn't invite him, to which he replied, "yeah, and she hasn't apologized either, but I'm still going to invite her and let her come because I love her"..   HOW DO YOU SAY NO TO THAT?!  My goodness, that is the kind of grace and mercy I hope to walk in every day.   I tell you what...next year I'm sure making he gets to go to his sisters.

He has... SO MUCH energy.  We put him in gymnastics since he is constantly climbing and jumping off of things, thinking it would be something he really enjoyed.  We were wrong, he liked it alright, but kept asking not to go.  He wanted to do karate instead, we finally let him and he has LOVED it!  The structure, discipline and energy release that goes with it has been perfect for him.  I love the self-defense and training for real life safety scenarios.  It enables him to take care of himself and gives me assurance to let him play independently.

He still loves to cuddle. He may be crazy, rambunctious, a bit rascally, and full of energy, but the boy loves a good snuggle.  I think God tends to make boys a bit more cuddly to help balance out all the gross and orneriness.   Then again, maybe that's just my kids.

He loves cheesy jokes.  We recently spent half an hour just sitting and reading knock, knock jokes.  His favorite saying/joke of all time is "Guess what? Chicken butt".   It makes me laugh, so I got him a shirt.   It is his favorite.

Also, if we are going to talk about Zeke this year....we have to mention his hair.  He is losing his curls!!  It's a dream come true for him.   Twice this last year I caught him rubbing lotion and then sunscreen into his curls and telling me "I am trying to make my hair straight!"  I guess it worked.   I loved his curls, but with his crazy hair, there is a good chance they may come back! 

It's been a fun year, he is turning into quite the handsome, fun boy.  In my dreams he will want to hold my hand and cuddle each morning for the rest of our lives....but I know it's just a season and all seasons come to an end.  I'm going to keep loving this time, but hopefully raise him in such a way that he goes forward with confidence and compassion to be all that God has made him to be.