Attention world! We have a 5 year old!
Oh William, how is it that you have been a part of our family for five whole years? Over this past year you and Christopher have become inseparable. I hope some day you know how much he looks up to you. He’s your partner in crime, goes along with your crazy make-believe games, and puts up with a whole lot of big brother wrestling. Sometimes when you get a time-out I think he’s more upset about it than you are!
This year we also got to see you be a big brother to baby Andrew. I was amazed at how much patience you have with him. It was fun to see how gentle you can be, and how much fun you have making him laugh. Andrew thinks you’re the most amazing person ever!
What does 5-year-old William’s world look like? Ninja shows. Angry Birds. Phineas and Ferb. Apple Crisp. Cheesecake. Peanut Butter and Jelly Or Honey Or Bananas. Drawing and drawing and drawing and drawing. Making noise (usually before your eyes are fully open in the morning). Sucking your thumb when you’re tired or bored. Science Experiments. Sleeping on the bottom bunk with Christopher (98% of the time). Learning to Read. You like that there are fish in your room. You have two favorite blankies (“Nee-Nee” and “Crackers”). You enjoy playing games on your Kindle (Angry Birds Epic was your favorite for quite awhile). You are very independent and like to show us the things you can do…unless you’re directly asked to do something, in which case you will feign fatigue and claim your legs are broken. You enjoy swimming pools once we drag you into the water and as long as nobody splashes too much. Unfortunately you do not seem to enjoy shopping, as every time I invite you, you choose to stay home with Daddy instead. You also are pretty paranoid about getting shots at the Dr.’s office. During your 5-year-old visit you asked every person who came into the room if you were getting shots. Even after they told you ‘no’, you just 
couldn’t quite believe them. You had your first “surgery” this year when you were sedated for some dental work. The nurse deemed you “more mature than her 8-year-old”. It made Daddy and I very proud. You’re not a big fan of haircuts. At the salon you will tolerate a haircut (with a lot of squirming) and I only pray this summer I can buzz your hair without endless tears, snot, and screaming. You need to be talked into taking a bath, only to be talked back out of the tub again. You don’t seem to have any interest in learning how to ride your bike. You’ve started a bit of name-calling. In typical boy fashion you think it’s funny to call Christopher “butt-head/butt-face/etc”. We’re finding we need to work on our manners again. You’ve told us that when you grow up you’d like to be a scientist, builder, or writer–although you’re not certain how you can be all three. You are a master-negotiator, forever bargaining to get the world in your favor. “Would you like apple crisp or ice cream?” “I’ll have both!”. “How about we read a book before bed?” “Here’s 3 books Dad!”. Long story short, you keep us on our toes and make us smile.
In a few short months you will be starting Kindergarten! We are SO excited for your next big adventure. You will be learning Spanish as part a dual-immersion (English/Spanish) program. Daddy and I have been trying to learn Spanish in order to get ahead of you–we’re pretty sure you’ll out-pace us in no time!