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