Profile of My Five Year-Old

As the years go by, I start realizing how quickly I forget about things...Lewie's first word, his first step, the first time he helped me make cupcakes...

Before I forget about this year, my goal is to list all the highlights and the quirky, wonderful things that make Lewie, well...Lewie.



My favorite little guy in the whole wide world.

Characteristics:
Lewie, you LOVE people.  You are talkative and social.  You love to be silly and make jokes (especially potty jokes), and you are the sound effect king.   You are sweet; you give Mommy and Daddy dozens of butterfly kisses and hugs, and you even hug and kiss your favorite teachers.  There's no surprise that this year, like last year, one of your teacher's came to me and whispered, "Lewie's my favorite."  It seems like you have the ability to make friends and admirers wherever you go.

You are smart; your math skills have scored off the charts, and there's no question that you're interested in all things technology.  From computers to cell phones, from cars to trains, from elevators to escalators, from vacuums to flashlights, you are interested in how things work, and if given the chance, you would open up every panel to see the batteries and wires inside.  As you expressed to us one day, "I know about wires."

You LOVE life.  Every morning you wake up happy and excited to begin a new day, and while you're sometimes reluctant to go to school, we often have a hard time getting you to leave.  You love your playdates with friends and even special Mommy and Daddy days.  The only thing you don't like to do is sleep.  "Sleep if boring!" you've exclaimed on more than one occasion.  Oh, if you'd only know how sleep, one day, will become your best friend.

And now, without further ado, here is a list of your favorites this year...

My favorite picture

Favorite Book:
The Polar Express

Favorite Cartoons:
Thomas the Train
Chuggington
Sponge Bob
Peppa Pig
Scooby Doo
Team Umizoomi

Favorite Colors:
Pink and orange

Favorite Dessert:
Vanilla ice-cream in a cup with hot fudge and rainbow sprinkles

Favorite Food:
Yogurt

Favorite Friend:
"I like everybody, Mommy"

Favorite Game:
Hide and Go Seek
Plingo

First Item He Bought with His Own Money at a Tag Sale:
Two "man purses," and a sun hat for Grammy

Favorite Movie & Soundtrack:
The Polar Express

Favorite Number:
100

Favorite Pastime:
Playing with his train table
Swings
Trampoline
Pretending to text on and charge his "pretend" cell phone

Favorite Place:
Any parks (where there's kids to play with)
Any hotel (especially ones with elevators)
Any pool or beach
The Danbury Railway Museum
The Essex Steam Train
The Thomaston Train Museum
Home
Mommy's and Daddy's workplace

Favorite Sayings:
"Hi my name is Lewie.  Would you like to play with me?"
"Out of my way, Express coming through!" (when you're on your bike)
"Can I have a piece of chocolate, please."
"This is my brother Nick." (But...you don't have a brother.)
"I'm a goofy goober." (from Sponge Bob)
"I love you, Mommy.  I'm think I'm going to keep you forever."  (This is totally your own saying.)

Milestones (from age four):
First time pumping on the swings by yourself
First time riding a two wheel bike (w/ training wheels)
First time going to a movie theater
First time roller skating
First time seeing a hot air balloon
First time taking swim lessons
First time packing your own suitcase
First time playing Angry Birds
First time visiting the library on a weekly basis
First time putting on your shoes by yourself
First sleepover (next door w/ Aunty Kiki)

Oh how I wish I could "freeze" these days.  The cuteness has only continued through these last five years,  and everyday you make me more proud than the last.  Yes, Lewie, to use your very own words, "I think I'm going to keep you forever."

Mommy

Happy 5th Birthday Lewie!!

Dear Lewie,

Today you are officially five years old, which is, indeed, an incredible and important milestone in your life.  While I know I will have many joyous years ahead with you, this birthday is still hitting me a bit hard.  In one year, I've watched you grow from a toddler into a full-grown little boy.  You're more independent now, and I'm already watching as you need Mommy less and less.  You can pump on the swings, go up slides, and introduce yourself to any of the kids on the playground all by yourself.  In fact, you have no problem saying, "Hi!  My name is Lewie.  Would you like to play with me?"  Little girls have already shown favor to your charm and sense of humor, and boys, especially older ones, don't seem to mind taking you under their wing.  It's amazing how you can ask a ten or eleven year old kid to play with you, and they say "yes" without batting an eyelash.  I'm amazed by your self-confidence as I was a very shy little girl who was afraid of introducing myself much less asking other kids to play with me.

Over the past few years, I've seen your personality flourish as well as your likes and dislikes.  While you still love elevators, trains have taken the number one position in your heart.  You can spend hours upon hours playing with your wooden train table, looking at train books, or setting up your electric train tracks.  You have The Polar Express movie memorized and continue to ask to watch it or listen to its soundtrack again and again (even though Christmas has already come and gone).  Thomas the Train and Chuggington have also replaced your once beloved Peppa Pig, Calliou, and Scooby Doo. 

Your natural interest in technology fascinates me.  You love the "hand-me-down" cell phones we've given to you; even though they don't work, you still pretend to text, use their GPS, and have conversations with them. Lately, you've been fascinated with "charging" them too.  Even if we don't have a proper charger, you pretend to have one that works just fine.   You love taking pictures and movies with our cell phones, and I must say that you're quite the photographer.  You've taken some fabulous pictures of Mommy and Daddy even in our less stellar moments (a.k.a. coming out of the shower, sitting on the toilet, etc.)  You still haven't grasped the concept of privacy just yet; you personally love running around the house naked--I'm told this is a boy thing!

When you're not playing with your trains, pretending to charge your cell phones, or pretending to fix our broken computer upstairs, then you're begging to go outside.  You're quite the little fish, and you love riding your "big-boy" bike, going on the swings, and jumping on the trampoline.    Recently, you've taken an interest in sports too, and I can't tell whether you'll like soccer, baseball, or basketball better.  You love watching the older kids play all of these games at the rec center, and sometimes you ask to join in too.

Your teachers say you have quite the imagination, and they're right.  For someone who is only five, you are quite accomplished.  You already have a job (at Daddy's place of work), own several cars--a Hyundai, Subaru, and Nissan--, and live in several houses.  You pretend to come home from work and buy us nice things:  "Mommy, I bought this cell phone for you; isn't it cool?"  You enjoy packing your own suitcase for trips, and you carry a "man purse."  While I love your creative play, I sometimes wish you were pretending to be a superhero or something else instead of a 25 year old adult.  If you could have things your way, you'd already have your own driver's license, wallet, credit card, house keys, and cell phone.   

Of course, there still is a little kid under this grand imagination...This little kid breaks into song, laughs at potty humor, plays hide-and-go-seek , and runs through the sprinklers.  You like arcades, roller rinks, and carnivals, and you LOVE ice-cream!  Soft-serve vanilla in a cup with rainbow sprinkles and hot fudge is your favorite treat at the moment.  S'mores is another favorite.  You do love your chocolate, which is a trait you've most notably taken from me.

Oh Little Lewie, I imagine I could spend all night writing about all the things that make you wonderful.  Every day, you put a smile on my face, and every night you have me on my knees, thanking God for giving me you.  How did I ever get so lucky!! 

Thank you for making these five years the most meaningful ones of my life.  Your laughter, joy, and passion are contagious; you ground me and make me realize that there is no gift more important than the "present."  I love you Lewie, forever and ever and always.

Your biggest fan,

Mommy

Summertime Fun in Delaware

Last weekend, we went on our annual vacation to Delaware to visit Aunty Re-re (Irene) and Uncle Terry.  We learned that Langhorne, Pennsylvania (home of Sesame Place) is located right between their house and Connecticut, so this year we decided to make a stop over at Sesame for a day before completing our six hour journey.

Although short, our vacation was so much fun!  At Sesame, we had lunch with Elmo and went on almost every ride in the park (including their scary Vapor Trail rollercoaster).  Mommy is a chicken, so I happily let the two Lew's ride together while I took pictures from the comfort of land.  I couldn't believe how brave my soon-to-be five year-old was!  He wasn't scared in the slightest and even allowed Daddy to take him on twice in a row.

The Lazy River ride was more my speed.  We each sat in our own tube and paddled through the winding river (careful not to get drenched by different waterfalls and fountains that took us by surprise).  We liked the ride so much that we went three times in a row!  I could have honestly stayed on the ride the whole day.

In Delaware, we spent two days relaxing in Aunty Re-re and Uncle Terry's inground pool and one night going on rides at the Delaware State Fair. Again, my little guy showed no fear as he went on "big rides" like the Pirate Swing, the Swings, and the Ferris Wheel.  It's hard to imagine that only the year before, it was a big deal for him to go on rides like the little cars and the carousel.  What happened to my little boy? 

Finally, the highlight of the trip, at least for Little Lewie, was sleeping in Aunty Re-re and Uncle Terry's campervan.  They set it up for us in their driveway, so we could sleep there during our stay.  The first night, Lewie was a little nervous, so he slept in the big bed with me while Daddy slept out on the kitchen table bed.  However, the following nights, Lewie was so exhausted that he easily slept in the kitchen, while Daddy slept with me in the next room.  It was sort of like camping with the convenience of hot running showers and home cooked meals.

Here are a few pictures from our trip:

Going on the Vapor Trail a second time!



Enjoying our lunch with the Count and Abby Cadabby.

That's really cold Mommy!  Can I do it again?

My two boys. 

Scenic shot!

Bubble mania!

My family (minus my husband and Uncle Terry).

                                         

Lewie and his new friend Mason (a friend of the family) on the Ferris Wheel.

                                        

My mom and Lewie in the pool.

 

Driving the campervan.  (Notice how he's wearing his seatbelt.  Safety first!)