The big #5

It's hard to believe we have a five-year-old! And also hard to believe it's *only* been five years since we started as parents. Sometimes it feels like it's been wayyyyy longer, since I can't remember what life was like or what I was like in that other pre-children life. Either way, life would be sad without this newly minted five-year-old. He came SPRINTING into our room this morning as soon as he woke up to give us huge hugs before rushing to the table to see what loot he'd gotten. It was so dang cute.

Hilariously, most of his presents were hand-me-downs from the neighbors who brought a big box of things by a few weeks ago. I figured he didn't need any more toys, and he was thrilled about these. THRILLED. I'm really glad we ended up using them because they were his favorite presents hands down.

Someone is excited to be five!

I grabbed the nice camera and took him outside to try and get some nice-quality pictures of him on his birthday. Took two minutes and this was the best I could do.

Graham wanted a picture too. He was being silly. 

All Dane wanted for his party was to have his friends over and watch his favorite show, Octonauts, with them. We were total rookies and made the party a little too long (2.5 hours, 2 hours would have been perfect) but they all had a great time. 

We had to instigate every single party game we could think of by the end, including Duck Duck Goose.

Money shot! This is Dane's whole Primary class. Luckily all of his best buddies are in this class.

Such cuties.

Dane is so cute. He said, "You're the best cake decorator ever, Mom." So pleased he has such low expectations still. I'm doing my job well.

Dane insisted on his party including his Primary class and his uncle Kurt. So nice of Kurt to drive up and be here for his party.

We sure love our Dane! He is so fun and cute and easy to be around (most of the time). He's gotten really into being a know-it-all lately, which I could kind of do without, but we are working on it. Something I really appreciate about Dane is that he is a really good listener and follower of instructions. When I explain something to him and tell him how something is done or how to fix something, he always does it right the next time. Last week we were delivering his invitations for his party and at every house we went to, as we walked up to the door, he would think and tell me, "Mom, Millie has a baby. We shouldn't ring the doorbell because she might be napping." Because we've talked about how the doorbell can wake up babies. He is going to be a dream student in school. He is also the dreamiest big brother to Lucy that I could have imagined up. He and Graham are great together maybe 50% of the time, and fight together 50% of the time--but he is always, always sweet with Lucy and always, always trying to help her and take care of her. I can ask him to do anything for Lucy or help me with her somehow and he will do it, every time. No matter what he is doing or what it is. He is so great.

We sure think the world of this kid and can't get enough of him. I'm so glad he had a good birthday and happy to have gotten our first real birthday party behind us!