Five

Jacob turned FIVE yesterday. Five!

Considering he waltzed into our bedroom just before 6:30 a.m., saying, "It's my birthday!", I think we might have built up the birthday excitement just a tad too much.

Every time we talked about his upcoming birthday, he'd ask, "And I'm going to be so much bigger?" I didn't realize until he asked yesterday, "Do I look bigger?", that he thought a growth spurt would happen spontaneously during the night before his 5th birthday. (Like he needs a growth spurt.) But of course I told him, "Yes! You look so big and grown up!"

Since I knew I wouldn't have time during the morning, I baked blueberry muffins for a surprise birthday breakfast the night before. When I pulled our favorite box of muffins from the pantry, I noticed it read, 'NEW! WHOLE GRAIN!"

Whole grain? We don't buy healthy muffins in this house. And then I remembered when I purchased these, they'd been out of our usual fattening (i.e. delicious) Duncan Hines Blueberry Streusel muffins. Oh well, I thought. No biggie. Surely even though I bought healthy muffins, they'll still be just as delicious.

Since he wasn't aware the muffins were whole grain, Jacob was excited about his birthday breakfast. In our house, candles aren't just for birthday cakes. It's become tradition to stick them in pretty much any food item on one's birthday. A birthday muffin was perfect.


And a birthday breakfast with your little brothers is even more perfect.


But it's no birthday breakfast without the Happy Birthday song. As you'd expect, Alex and I sung in perfect harmony.


And Jacob loved every minute of it.


"Thanks for singin', Alex."


Time to blow out the candle...with a little sneaky help.


And then it was time to celebrate Alex's birthday that's two months and two days away!



Happy Birthday, Jacob! Time to enjoy your muffin.


While chewing his first bite of muffin, he looked at me and said, "These taste like corn muffins." I think his expression says it all.


My feelings couldn't even be hurt when he only ate half of his muffin because that's all I was able to choke down too. Even with gobs of Country Crock butter. Whole grain muffins will never be purchased again. Lesson learned.

After breakfast, there were phone calls from grandparents (complete with a birthday serenade).


And then it was time for Jacob's swim lessons. When those were finished, the boys played in the pool for a little while before we headed home for lunch. And to get ready for the fun part of our afternoon.
Since Jacob chose Toy Story as his birthday party theme, I thought it would be fun if we saw "Toy Story 3" in the theater on his birthday. We saw a movie last year, but this time, all of us went. Yep- including Will. Nan & Pop even wanted to tag along.


In the days leading up to our movie date, Jacob was telling people the plan to see "Buzz Lightyear 3", and Alex would chime in with, "And I get popcorn!" The popcorn window was like a beacon to them. They were drawn to it immediately.


On our way into the theater. Will had no idea where he was being carried.


My little moviegoers.


Is it a little ridiculous that I brought a camera inside the theater? Yep. I know it is. And apparently, according to Jeff, it was also annoying to the people two rows behind us. In my defense, with the exception of one picture, all of my shots were before the movie started. Trying to take super fast pictures in the dark explains the quality of some of these pictures.

My popcorn fiends.



This little guy was an angel during the movie. He sat quietly for a while, nursed, cooed & smiled at me, left the theater for a diaper change, and then fell asleep on Nan's lap. (And how adorable is it that he's holding her finger?) He did wonderfully on his first trip to the movies.




And this big guy sat still for the duration of the movie (which is saying a lot for Alex!). About halfway through the movie, Jacob moved from beside me to beside Jeff. So Alex moved from beside Jeff to the seat next to mine. Musical chairs, but it was cute. He leaned over and kissed my arm. Then I gave him a hug. He looked up at me, sniffed the air, and asked, "Are you eatin' peppermint patties?"
Junior Mints, actually. Man, that kid has a nose for chocolate. I think he loved me even more when I shared my candy with him.



And the birthday boy? Chowed down on popcorn, guzzled Sprite, stared at the screen, and snuggled with his daddy.




And I'm pretty sure he had a blast.


After the movie, there were fun arcade games to play. Or, pretend you're playing.




As we walked out of the movie theater, the boys immediately ran over to the fountain outside the mall. I gave them each a penny to toss in. After he threw his in, Jacob asked, "Will my wish come true?" This morning I found out what he wished for:
"I wished I was a rainbow."
This kid has a thing for rainbows.
Me: "Why do you want to be a rainbow?"
Jacob: "Because they're so pretty."

And while Jeff grilled steaks for dinner (one of Jacob's favorite meals), the boys played with new Toy Story racing cars that were gifts to Jacob from his brothers. Luckily, Will and Alex had the foresight to buy two cars so they could be shared. And Jacob ooh'd and ahh'd and even thanked us for the new underwear and Toy Story muscle shirt we gave him.



Jacob thanked me for taking him to the movies and told us he had a good birthday. It seems we also wore him out, considering he fell asleep promptly and slept in a little late this morning.


I can't believe he's 5 years old. As I watched him play yesterday, I could easily picture when it was just the 2 of us at home during the day. When he was a newborn sprawled sound asleep on my chest...a baby gazing and smiling at me...a drooling baby crawling and laughing as I chased him around our old house...a toddler running to me with his arms outstretched...and now, my big 5-year old boy who will start kindergarten in two short months. It's all going by too fast.


Happy 5th Birthday to a wonderful son and big(gest) brother who is a perfectly adorable combination of funny, smart, sensitive, silly, sweet, thoughtful, crazy, active, loving, affectionate, and handsome. I love you so, so much.