Wow you are 5, how did that happen?

Happy 5th Birthday Gusser! Turning 5 feels like a milestone to me. It will be a big year for you! You will go to Kindergarten, learn to read, write, add and subtract. I think that this year will be one of your biggest in terms of learning and growing. We are excited for you!

I think I have enjoyed this last year the most! You are so much fun to be around and talk to. You speak very well and are able to have wonderful and interesting conversations. Dad and I have enjoyed watching you become the little man that you are. You are able to control your emotions and express your feelings and you do it very well.  Let me tell you one of my favorite "Gus" stories this year. Dad was making dinner and I think it was something you had never had before so we both were talking it up quite a bit. We were saying things like "you're gonna love it," or "this is super yummy." We serve you your highly anticipated dinner and you start bawling. You were crying so hard that I could barely understand you. When we asked you why you were crying. You said while crying "It did NOT meet my expectations!" Dad and I just looked at each other and started laughing. Like I said you really do know how to express your feelings. You may also hang around adults (mom) too much. 

We did some traveling this year. We went to Colorado to see Daddy Friends. You even got to see real dinosaur tracks. It was pretty cool. We got to go up in the mountains and we really enjoyed our time away. We hope to do more traveling this year. For your birthday we got you a map of the world. You can scratch off the places you have been. We hope by the time you are reading these letters that you have done some traveling. We bought you your own suitcase for Christmas and we plan on giving you the gift of travel. This was not something that mommy did much of in her life so I am excited for us to experience new cities and countries together!

You are really forming your friendships this year. You have so many friends at Junior Kindergarten and you are still good friends with Jake and Devon from your very first daycare. You have a crew that you hang out with at school and it is so nice to see you with your buddies! It seems like everyone knows you. When we walk you to school even the big kids say "Hi Gus!" Samantha is still the one you claim that you are going to marry. She has been the one for two years now. I admire your loyalty :). 

You can be very stubborn sometimes. You were learning about Dinosaurs at school and you were bouncing off the walls the whole week. You learned a new song and you decided that it would be funny to sing it loudly during nap time. Ms. Mages your teacher did NOT think it was funny. She warned you three times and it resulted to a trip to the Asst. Principals office. I was at a day conference and I came home to the notice below. I was NOT happy!!!!

This was your poster when you were Big Bear of the week, It had all the things you love. Dinosaurs, sports, superheroes, music and family:

I would say you had one of the best days of your 5 years this year. My friend at work, Anna heard that for career day you dressed up as a Fire Fighter and that is what you want to be when you grew up. Her brother, Fire Chief Steve Little invited you to visit his fire station in Chicago. Chief Little was amazing, he grabbed your hand and the two of you were off and explored the entire station. He gave you a CFD t-shirt, hat and a junior badge. You told all the Fire Fighters that the reason you wanted to be one is because they are heroes! You are really into Superheroes so you wanted to be a real life one. I have never seen such grown men melt. You really touched them but the best part was that you were completely genuine. Dad and I had the best time as well. We all agreed it was one of the coolest things we have ever done.

You and I had the opportunity to spend 4 days of Spring Break together. We stayed in town but I had a full week planned. One day we spent 6 hours at the Field Museum. We had so much fun seeing Sue the dinosaur 3D movie, we shrunk and viewed the underground world. It was so much fun. I learned two things about you this week. 1. You have a lot of energy! I was exhausted and needed to nap each day. 2. You are pretty cool. Of course I LOVE you but I really enjoyed hanging out with you. If I were a 5 year old, I would want to be your friend. That epiphany was pretty cool.

I also want you to know how amazing your Dad is. You were learning about the sun and the moon. At night you wanted to go look at the moon and you would ask us questions about space and we would talk about the planets. One morning you got up and your were upset the you did not get to see the sunrise. Dad said that on Saturday morning we would set our alarm and get up before the sun and drive to the lake so we could see it rise. We did and it was a great morning. We took off our shoes and walked in the sand it was freezing! Then we sat on the bench and watched the sky change colors and the day get brighter. Remember this story when you get mad a Dad. He has some really great ideas and would do anything for you.

It would not be an official post without mentioning Roxie. Your relationship with her is the same. She is getting older and slowing down a bit. She loves you very much but still keeps her distance. I catch her every now and again giving you a random kiss in the face. I love when I can see it. You always shout, Roxie just kissed me! Then when you try to go pet her she runs away. It is always on her terms. You both accept your relationship for what it is.

Here are some of my favorite photos:

This was Papa Steve showing you his skeleton with your cousins when we went to Dallas for New Year's.

I feel grateful that you are my son. You are a good person and have a wonderful character (just like your dad) and I am so glad I am able to see it come out. It makes me one proud mama! I have made a lot of mistakes in my life, but I must have done something right because God sure has blessed me. I often think about my boys (you and daddy) and wonder how two such wonderful people love me. I am grateful and blessed everyday! Thanks for the smiles, kisses and saying the words "I love you mommy." You mean the world to me Gus. Keep teaching me, keep learning and keep being good. 

Love you always,

Mommy