The Mister Turns Five!

As Miss Jill wrestled this birthday crown on Joey's head at preschool this morning, I heard her say, "My, you have a big head, Joey!"

Something about the jaunty tilt of the crown on Joey's head reminds me of a military cap, and his confident, hands-in-pockets pose makes me simultaneously proud of our little man, and astonished that he's getting so big, so fast.

At five years old, his sweet, generous spirit still amazes us every day. Born to be a big brother, he embraces the role in a way that makes our hearts swell on a daily basis. He's naturally cautious, watchful, and careful, and that extends to the care of his little sisters.

Ever-curious, he provides us with a round-the-clock soundtrack of questions, and his running commentary never fails to amuse us. "Mommy, did you know???" is most often the prelude to some astonishing fact he's just discovered, like, "Michael R. knows how to drive a speedboat! His daddy sits in the back of the boat, and Michael R. EVEN sits in the front and drives! Really! I'm not even lying!"

We love his determination and brute strength, his faith that where there's a will, there's a way. This morning, I found our long hallway runner neatly rolled up and stowed away in our master bedroom -- a feat that amazes me, since it easily weighs as much as he does, and is unwieldy to boot. His favorite mantra is, "Practice makes perfect, right?" and we know this will serve him well in life.

He's impressing us more and more with his intense concentration on art and building projects -- mostly done solo, and with his tongue sticking out of his mouth, during Clara's naptime. It's our secret that he doesn't take a nap anymore -- Clara is blissfully unaware -- and he loves it that way.

Finally, his sense of humor is what makes him Joey... he can break into giggles over the thousandth reading of Goodnight Gorilla, he guffaws at nonsensical knock-knock jokes, and doubles over clutching his stomach when things turn silly... as they mostly do when he's around.

Silliness was the order of the day tonight for his family birthday party, when our newly minted five year-old enjoyed chocolate cake and tore open presents: his first set of Legos, a giant paper airplane book, and a tabletop Ping-Pong set.

Happy Birthday, Mister!