Dear Caden,
Today you are five years old.
Wow. Five years. It goes by so quickly.
It seems like only last week I drug my swollen-ankled-self up to the clinic (certain I was not in labor or having you for a while) only to be shocked to learn you were coming that day...or technically very, very early the next day!
In this past year you have grown about 3 feet. Well, maybe not quite that much...but close. You grow out of pants almost faster than I can buy them. Last year I had to buy you all new jeans halfway through the winter because the old ones were suddenly about an inch too short. I'm a little afraid to pre-purchase clothes for you, because I never know what size you will be when it's time to wear them!
You're going to be tall. And lean. I guess you already are tall and lean. You love to dance naked in front of the bathroom mirror while waiting for your bath water to be ready. You check out your long lean torso, flex your arm muscles and laugh at your bobo. You are such a boy.
Speaking of being such a boy...you love to burp. It can really be
embarrassing when we are out in public because we can't get you to
understand that some things aren't appropriate in front of strangers!
You have also started owning up to your own toots. For the longest time
you would blame them on someone else and say that you NEVER toot. I'm
glad we're past that because I was tired of being blamed!
You are a deep thinker. You ask a million questions a day. Sometimes we have to remind you that if you would just observe something you will get the answer you seek...but that would require patience...which you don't have much of! You want to know the reasons behind so many things and especially why God does what He does.
Why does God make snails? Why does God send us rain? What do we need grass for? What would happen if...? You even harass dad every time he leaves for work by asking him about 10 questions about his day. He answers every one of them as he hurries out the door. I often feel ill-equipped to answer all these things, especially since "I don't know" isn't a good answer to you. I wish God had sent me an answer booklet specially designed for you...just so I could answer your myriad of questions.
You still love all things vehicle related. You spend much of your time in your room making roads and race tracks. Your love of trains has died down a little, but every once in a while you dig them out again.
Your little brother has learned how to make car noises by watching you. I often find him trailing behind you driving a car along the floor making motor noises. He copies most everything you do. I think you really enjoy that he copies you. For some reason it's okay with you for Coop to mimic what you do, but not Carinna.
(I love this face...this so captures you!)
You love rock! Any song that you hear that has a pretty heavy sound is your favorite. Your current most favorite song is
Gold on the Ceiling by the Black Keys. You would listen to it over and over all day if we would let you. You close your eyes and shake your head to the beat, making faces like you are the one playing the guitar. You are very serious about it. You may also be deaf by the time you're 6 since you have dad turn it WAY up while y'all are driving around in the truck! There is something about music that really gets you...or maybe you get it. We will see where that leads!
The other day you proudly exclaimed that when you grow up you want to be a MIME. Dad and I just looked at each other. I mean, what do you say when your child aspires to be something that 90% of the population makes fun of? But you also want to be a rock star or one of the Imagination Movers. I'm not too sure about those professions either...but I will support your decisions...I think! So far this year you have wanted to be a fireman, an army man, a rock star, an Imagination Mover and a MIME.
This year you will be attending a private preschool. You aren't starting Kindergarten yet since your birthday is just before the cut off date. We felt you should wait one more year. It was a hard decision to make because your body really looks like that of a Kindergartner! But I really think it will be for the best in the long run! We are really excited about this upcoming school year! I think you will have a lot of fun! You also want to start karate this year. You have been wanting to do it for a while, so we have decided to sign you up! I look forward to watching you learn it!
As you continue to grow we learn more and more about your personality. We know that you are sensitive, inquisitive, silly and smart. We know that you are learning what it means to be the big brother and what your role in our family is. We know that you love books, especially car or train books. You love to be outdoors and you love bugs and animals...though mostly from a distance. You run and play until you collapse sweaty and exhausted.
We look forward to watching you continue to grow, learn and explore.
My wish for you is this:
-May you always seek knowledge, wonder why and ask questions.
-May you always be sensitive to those around you and have a heart for justice.
-May you always be confident enough to do the things you love, no matter what others may think.
-And may your life and all that you do be used to glorify the God you long to know so much about.
We love you so much!
Happy Birthday, Caden!
