Mayhem and Magic: Sparkle is Five!

Archives

My parents are here! They came to celebrate Sparkle's birthday and to help me out while Beloved is out of town. We're having Sparkle's family birthday party tomorrow, even though his actual birthday was yesterday.

He's been a bit concerned because he had two "birthdays" (one at school and one with friends), and yet still wasn't five. (Sheesh, what's a guy got to do to actually turn five around here? I can see why he was mildly distressed, poor guy.) Yesterday he came to talk to me while I was getting ready for work, and I told him it was his real birthday, and he was now five years old.

He was pleased. (Finally!) He said, "Now I'm five. Four is passed away... It's a little bit sad."

I've been teasing him saying, "I thought I told you to quit growing! You stop it right now! No more growing up!" all in a very obviously dramatic and teasing way. He loves it. He loves knowing that we are watching him grow up. He's told me a few times, kind of seriously, "Mom, that's just what kids do... They keep growing up."

I've also teased him (again very dramatically) with, "I think we'll just skip your birthday this year, and you can stay four. You don't like cake anyway. You don't like presents. Maybe you can turn five next year." He thinks it's hilarious! But twice he's asked, "We can't really skip my birthday, can we, Mom? We're just teasing."

He's such a sweet boy! Have I mentioned that?

Both Beloved and I have made sure to tell him, "We're so proud of how you're growing! We miss the baby boy you used to be a little bit, but we love who you are now, and we can't wait to see all the things you'll learn and do when you're five, and then when you're six, and sixteen, and a grown up man!"

Words are important to him, and we can see his chest swell when he knows we're proud, or when he imagines himself as a real, strong grown-up man.

I'll post pictures after our family party tomorrow, and tell you about our friend party as well.

In the meantime,

Happy birthday, my wonderful Sparkle!