Celebrating John's Five Years

John had a red letter day celebrating his much-anticipated fifth birthday! I think five is a milestone in the mind of a child.

Waking up groggily to the decorated birthday child's chair at the kitchen table

We then went to Mass, where afterward John obtained a blessing from the priest on the occasion of his birthday. Then a group of kids played on the grassy hill for a time.

Mary being coy

Pop-Pops and Grandmom came for the weekend

Eating breakfast at John's favorite spot for brunch

When we arrived home, John was surprised to find gifts waiting for him!

He discovered the use of a chess timer during a chess game with his cousin Ryan a few months ago and had been wanting one since. He may not have many chess rules memorized yet, but at least now he will know it is his turn!

Checkers!

Mama and Daddy gave John some real, child-sized woodworking tools.

All safe and ready to go!

He stopped amidst opening all his gifts to really study for several minutes this lovely book by Robert McCloskey. He's definitely my boy.

John received this wonderful wooden knight's castle, as owned and played with lovingly by his now twenty-something cousin Ethan.

It is a Seriously Big Hit with the boy.

In the afternoon, Daddy took John out into the woods to try out some of his tools. While out there, John took his new walkie talkies to communicate back and forth with people in the house. Apparently my handle is Mama Bear and his is Mr. Green Jeans.

In this state, Big Boys who are five years old and weigh 40 whole pounds get to graduate to a booster seat. Pop-Pops and Daddy took John to a local pond to float his new boat--and I hear John offered to all the other children who came to watch that they could play with it too.

Child-sized pizza slicer

For dinner, we had a favorite meal of pizza, with everyone choosing their own toppings.

I don't know why I insist on baking birthday cakes when neither of my children much like them (and it's not just my cakes--they're just not big cake-eaters). John was overjoyed to see that I'd made him a cake, but he and his sister left their slices untouched and devoured the ice cream. Oh well, I love cake--and Mary and I had the most delightful time decorating it together!

I know that all loving parents feel this way, but I'll still voice that Chris and I feel so blessed to have John as our firstborn child and son.