A Whole Hand: Sumner Turns Five!

I cannot believe you are already five years old, Sumner! I feel like I just started this project of writing about your life (and Anna Ruth's, too). You will never know how fast the years go by, or how amazing they are, until you have children of your own.

You had a wonderful birthday.  You were so excited about it and were counting down the days!  I decorated the entrance going into the hall with streamers and a happy birthday banner.  I also hung a banner in your room. I baked you a strawberry cake (your favorite) and you had it for breakfast,  For lunch you requested Wendy's (because Chick-fil-A's playground was too wet and Wendy's has an indoor playground.) Daddy, Sissy, DD, Papa, Top, Yaya, and Uncle David all came to eat with you.  Afterwards you asked if we could go to Yellow Monkey (a frozen yogurt shop) for dessert (not that you needed any more sugar after cake x2 and a frosty). 

For gifts, Top, Yaya, DD, Sissy, Daddy, and I got you John Deere toys and Papa got you a basketball goal for your bedroom door.  

You had a John Deere themed birthday party at the YMCA pool.  Several of your friends and family came, and you played your little heart out.  

Here are some facts about the 5 year old you!

You are so special (in too many ways to even describe) but one thing that stands out is how sweet you are.  You love Anna Ruth and think about her feelings even when she isn't around.  One thing you do on a regular basis is if you get a treat from school you save part of it and give it to her when you see her.  You share so well with other children and love babies.  You talk "baby talk" to them and kiss them every time you see one.  You are so good about considering other peoples' feelings.

You just absolutely love life.  You are so happy and have a blast doing basically anything. Every time I pick you up from school or church your head is soaking wet with sweat (even in the dead of winter) because you play so hard.  No one else looks quite like you because no one else plays quite as hard as you!

You are so smart!  You do mental math in your head all of them time that I know most of my third grade students could do (or at least as fast) as you do.  You have a deep understanding for numbers (order and value) and letters.  You can count to 1,000 (obviously that takes a while so you usually just stop at 200 and explain how the pattern keeps on going forever). You basically taught yourself to read.  Since you were at least two you put the letters of the alphabet in order and soon after knew all of their sounds.  So, it didn't take long at all for you to start putting letters together to make words or to sound out words. Your Pre-K teacher remarked on how gifted you were during the first few weeks of school.  One thing in particular she said was how she had to talk to you on a higher level because you were like a grown up in a 4 year old body.  

Not only do you have a lot of academic knowledge, you also have so much common sense.  I know what your teacher meant when she said you were like a grownup in a child's body because I feel the same way.  You are so mature when it comes to safety, taking care of things, working hard, and problem solving.  I am embarrassed to admit this, but there have been times when you have helped me figure out how something worked or how to fix something. If you were just a little bigger, I am telling you, you would be a better worker than most grown men.  You aren't afraid of hard work and have never once complained about being hot or tired.  You've never once complained about being bored either which leads me to my next point....

Your imagination is incredible!  You can make anything fun with whatever materials you have on hand. A few weeks ago you got in trouble and I told you that you were not allowed to play with any of your toys for the afternoon.  When I was in the back getting ready I heard you playing in the living room.  I hurried down the hall fully expecting to have to spank you for disobeying by playing with your toys.  However when I walked in I saw where you had tied two of your belts together and you were pretending it was a train going inside tunnels (under the rug). Technically, you were not playing with toys and hadn't broken the rules.  All I could do was laugh because your daddy and I always say it is so hard to discipline you because you are so easy going and easily entertained.  We can take your favorite thing away for a week, and 10 minutes into the punishment you have found a new favorite.  You can entertain yourself in time out with absolutely nothing to play with because your mind gets to thinking and that itself is entertaining.  

You love to build things with Legos, Tinker Toys, Lincoln Logs, and wood blocks.  Your two favorite things to build right now are billboard signs and pivots. I think you're going to grow up to me an engineer of some kind.

You help me with chores around the house and never complain.  Some chores you do are picking up pine cones, folding the laundry, putting the dishes away from the dishwasher, making your bed, putting your clothes away, and of course picking up after yourself.  

You love to help your daddy when he goes to scout.  Again, you walk every step he does and never complain about being hot or tired.  You love it! You love being outside and learning about farming, crops, pivots, and tractors.  

You love playing in the water.  I joked and said we should have bought you a bunch of sprinklers for your birthday because you love "setting up irrigation."

At your 5 year old wellness visit you were 40.6 pounds and were 3'6" tall.  Your favorite color is blue.  Your favorite thing to do is play with "pivots and scout" (your words). Your favorite thing to eat is peanut butter and jelly.  Your favorite song is "You are my Sunshine." Your favorite thing to watch on TV is "Paw Patrol." Your best friend is Avery. Your favorite shape is a circle.  Your favorite number is 100.

I have given up trying to get you to take a nap. You refuse, and act really ill afterwards, but the struggle to get you to lay still is just too much.  I hope you will adjust to the no nap and eventually get more/better sleep at night.

Dear Sumner, 

I cannot possibly put all the interesting, sweet, special, and funny things I see in you each and every day on this paper because there are just too many to count.  You are so special and loved more than you could possibly know.  I am so thankful you call me mama and that I get to raise you.  I pray every day that I will do a good job and ask Him for guidance,  My biggest prayer and dream for you is that you will love God with all your heart and seek his will for your precious life.  I love you, Sumner, as high as the sky and the ocean is deep and more and more and more.  I cannot believe you are growing so fast...

Love,
Mama