Tommy is FIVE!

I can't believe Tommy is five! How quickly time flies!

Here are five fun facts about Tommy:

1. Jon has taught him to sound out very simple words, and he knows a few words by sight. He can also write all the letters and numbers (albeit sometimes backwards), count to 100 (and higher, although the higher he gets, the crazier the numbers become), count backward, and do simple addition and subtraction (like, "Mom, when I'm 11, Joey will be 9.")

2. He LOVES maps...studying them, drawing them (he draws realistic satellite-like maps complete with neighborhoods and freeways like he's seen on Google Maps), pointing out places, etc. We've really never spent much time teaching him where things are on the maps, so his ability to correctly identify states and countries is pretty amazing.

3. He loves legos, but more importantly, he loves following detailed written instructions. And he's pretty good at it...I'd say a few years beyond his age. He's also come up with some pretty crazy and creative lego and block buildings of his own.

4. Some of his favorite activities are playing in the sandbox, drawing in his sketchbook, playing on the playground, watching movies like "The Incredibles," "Cars," and "How to 'Potty Train' Your Dragon," and playing with legos, trains, and cars.

5. Some of his favorite places are the zoo, the Springbrook Nature Center, the MN Childrens Museum, the YMCA swimming pool, Wendy's or any other restaurant, any park, the library, and his friends' houses. Fortunately, he also enjoys church and is becoming much more reverant as he gets older.

Here are five recent developments:

1. He's obsessed with tea and coffee. He points them out in the store. He tells my hairdresser they're bad for her. He makes them in the sandbox constantly (reassuring me that he won't actually drink them because they're bad for us.) And he tells me, yesterday, that people who don't go to our church steal and drink tea and coffee. I reassured him that they don't steal. :)

2. His new big thing at the playground is climbing on the OUTSIDE of the playground structure. The standard activities just didn't hold his attention, I guess.

3. He played his first t-ball game this week, making me SO proud because it was so dang cute! You would think that it would be pretty simple to hit a ball right off a motionless tee...and you would be wrong. The kids were hitting the tee, swinging at the air, and occasionally making the great hit that was pure luck. He's one of the oldest on his team, and it definitely shows in his focus and drive (when he's fielding, he runs to almost every ball, whether it's near him or not!)

4. As mentioned in number 1, he loves to make meals in the sandbox. He offers me choices like "Mom, do you want beef stroganoff, strawberry stroganoff, or blueberry stroganoff?" Strawberry, of course!

5. He adores Samuel, making comments like "He's just so cute!" and giving him toys and making him smile and laugh. I'm constantly scolding the boys for pushing Samuel too high in his baby swing, but it's hard not to notice how much Samuel loves it. It's very cute to see what a good big brother Tommy is. He can also be very protective of Joey.

And here are five things to look forward to this upcoming year:

1. Spanish kindergarten! Se habla espanol? Tommy will be attending a school that is taught 100% in Spanish! (The kids are native English speakers, so he won't be totally out in the cold.) We are very excited, even though I'm equally sad to be giving him up to the school system each and every weekday...it seems like the beginning of the end.

2. Learning more about the Plan of Happiness through church, scripture study, and family home evening. It's amazing how quickly he learns about scripture stories, prophets, and the commandments. He has great faith and enthusiasm.

3. Maybe overcoming his fear of tornadoes, earthquakes, volcanoes, fires, and--a recent addition to the list--bombs. We often say a special prayer at night that none of these afflictions will come to our home.

4. T-ball, soccer, and swimming lessons! And maybe even piano lessons this year or next!

5. Lots of fun with his family and friends...he's a very personable little guy and fun to be around!

Last but not least, here are a few pics from his Pirate Birthday Party:

Tommy with his best-cousin-friend Olivia. They're like two peas in a pod!!!

Racing pirate ships. Who will win?

Cousin Lillian walking the plank!

Ready to "Pin the Treasure Chest on the Treasure Map"



Pirate Jon telling the kids a sea-faring story while I hid treasure chests for the scavenger hunt.

We saved the best treasure chest for last!