Ethan is FIVE!

Ethan turned five on May 25, 2013. This was the age that I'd been sort of dreading since he was born...because it meant he was about to go to Kindergarten. I knew it would go by fast and I was right. But boy are we proud of him. He is the sweetest, silliest, and most fun kid I know.

For his 5-year photo shoot, he and I went down to Klyde Warren Park in downtown Dallas early on a Saturday morning. I chose a Saturday because I didn't want to content with south-bound traffic on a weekday morning. And we chose to go in the (early) morning to beat the heat and the inevitable Saturday crowds at the popular park. It turned out to be a perfect plan. We had the park to ourselves, the weather was beautiful, and Ethan was cooperative.

There are some days when I think, "I miss my sweet, little baby." But most days I am so proud of the little boy he's become and excited for what will be next for him. Actually, most days it is a really strange, confusing, and wonderful combination of those two feelings. Nostalgia and contentment.

Five is a pretty fun age. He is so independent and I love how much he does for himself now. A little freedom for both of us. And he is so clever. He really thinks about things. He has crazy, wonderful ideas. His life is still all about playing and I love that.

Ethan is the best about giving hugs and kisses. He cannot let one of us leave the house or go to bed without making sure he's given us some love. He really cherishes one-on-one time with me and Casey and we love it too. Right now, he and I are reading through the Magic Treehouse series and we're both enjoying it.

Speaking of reading, he's almost there. He's known his letters and letter sounds since he was 2. And now he's great at sounding out words and he's memorized countless sight words. He will read level 1 books and the Bob Books to me. I can't wait for it to really "click" for him and launch him into a whole new world of reading all by himself.

He is constantly curious about things he doesn't know. He loves to learn and is really a sponge for information right now.

Toward the end of our shoot, I let him get wet. He was in heaven.

One of my favorite things that Ethan says right now...he uses "the size of God's love" as a unit of measurement. He often says, "I love you the size of God's love, mommy (or daddy)."

Ethan's current measurements:
Height: 44.5 inches (78%)
Weight:  43.2 lbs (65%)

And here's the interview I do with him every year:

How old are you?  5

What makes you happy?   hugs and kisses

What is your favorite food?  grapes (yep)

What is your favorite thing to do with Logan?  color or play with cars

Who are your friends?  Logan, Blake, Ashton

What is your favorite color?  Blue

What is your favorite animal?  Cat

What do you want to be when you grow up?  Animal doctor

What is your favorite toy?  Stuffed Animals

Where is your favorite place to go?  Splash park

What is your favorite book?  Dinosaur Dream

What is your favorite show?  Bubble Guppies

What is your favorite movie?  Veggie Tales: The League of Incredible Vegetables