Happy Birthday, John!

I know, John!  I cannot believe it either.  How can you be 5 already?  As much as I have fought against the temptation to not treat you like a baby because you are the youngest...I can't help it.  I mean...look at that face?  How can I really be strict with that face? (cue siblings with stories of how I have made John cry on occasion...fact check: True...but, paint on the deck? Seriously, John?  I mean, you were almost 5!!!)

Despite some questionable personal decisions, you continue to rank pretty high on everyone's most favored family member lists (Oh, we all have them).  But, you are so easy going for the most part, it is easy to be around you all of the time.

You are happy watching your siblings build architecture, watching them play sports...or playing with them in the yard and neighborhood (TdF Youngest Rider 4 years in a row!!!). 

 
I love the wonder you have for your surroundings. I think we sat for about half an hour one morning last spring and watched this guy mow.  I love how everything is new and interesting to you.  Today we took a walk, and you pointed out as many dandelions as you could find.  Taking walks with you is the best.  Especially in the snow.

 

I am a little nervous that as we start your schooling more formally, I will forget to teach you things I taught the others.  But, then I see the boys teaching you everything they know and I'm pretty sure just about everything will be covered one way or another.  At the very least we covered volcanoes. 

That said, we are almost over the biggest obstacle to you learning anything you want...because you can nearly read everything.  You have loads of sight words and read Piggie and Gerald Books without a whole lot of help.  And, I don't think it will be long before you can sound out all of the words in harder books.  As Dom and I mouth to each other often: You Are SO SMART!!

 
You are definitely a child of the smart phone era.  Technically, all of the kids could have been, but we didn't have them until you were born.  No one takes selfies quite like you.  Or home videos...which eat up all of my memory...but, they make me laugh until I cry.  Videos only a mother could love.

This year, you moved to your 4th house in 4 years.  But, what was there to be worried about? All of your favorite people were coming with you.  This picture was taken our last night in Alabama.  You were so tired, you fell asleep on the hard wood floor before we could blow up the air mattresses.  Moving is hard work...hopefully we don't have to do it again for a few years!

Yet, a bonus for you was that we watched A LOT of Netflix when we moved in.  And discovered 'Nailed It', which led to some experimentation in our kitchen and may have led to a new 4th of July tradition.  This has also perhaps inspired you to even higher culinary skills.  My days of being the sole cook are numbered...if only you would clean up after yourself!

You and Molly are great friends and share many common interests.  I love watching the two of you play...and it gets a little more interesting when Will joins the mix.  Fortunately, arguments are minimal as you explore new worlds in your imaginations.

I think I have more pictures of John sleeping than anyone else.  He wants to keep up with the older kids, and his demeanor is so laid back, we don't enforce a super strict bedtime...which catches up on him every so often.  On the bright side, bedtime is never a struggle.  He is nearly always ready to head to bed, no matter the time.

We have seen quite a bit in the last year, and will see quite a bit more in the years to come.  But, our favorite is walking through the monuments. Or any time we see the name 'John'.

And now for just some moments.  You received the last alphabet quilt (for now!) from Nana.  It's been a project going for 14 years.  Huh...same amount of years that KU won the regular season...

I have well over 1000 pictures taken by John...I kind of love this one.  Did you really need to take 15 of the exact same shot? I think you nailed it on the first one.

We have had loads of fires, which you thoroughly enjoy.  Especially when you get to make up a very long story...

We've ridden the metro a few times into the city for field trips.  And you have handled them like a pro.  Pros run up and down the aisles of empty train cars, right?  I think I read that somewhere.  Though, in all fairness, you only do that on empty cars. 

In the last year you discovered the great enjoyment that eating chicken and noodles out of a mug can bestow.  Mmm Mmm Good!

We flew to Oklahoma for Thanksgiving.  Which marked the shortest travel time to see family that you have ever experienced (even with the delays at the airport)...and It. Was. Amazing!  We may never drive again.  Ok, we'll probably drive again, but, man, the miracle of flight is incredible.

I love Christmas through a 4 year old's eye.  I loved finding you just watching the tree with the lights.  I loved how you went up to the Nativity Scene at the Altar and just knelt for a while.  And I loved how happy you were to give everyone gifts.  Nearly as happy as you were to receive them :). 

I've heard the youngest is the comic in the family...and that is pretty true.  Your sense of comedic timing is impeccable.  I am a little biased...but, I think you are hilarious.  Especially when you tell jokes that you have introduced with: Listen to this, Mom! It is Hilarious!

John does have a lovely way of putting things.  We now all quote a line of his from shortly after Christmas: 'I don't want to do ANYTHING! I just want to eat fudge!'
He's so SMART! (Right, Dom?)

This year, you joined the glasses gang in the house.  So glasses now out number not glasses 4 - 2.  For those curious about this sort of thing.  It is pretty regular dinner topic in our house.

Despite still technically being in preschool...or not school...we do fit in a lesson from time to time.  Such as the lesson that everyone gets pie on Pi Day, whether they threw a tantrum about dinner or not. 

Sometimes you do your work at the table.  Sometimes in the hammock.

And sometimes you send people loads of texts with emojis or fish faces.  Life is pretty sweet.

Happy 5th Birthday, John!  Johnnie! Jack Jack!  Or whatever else comes out when we are talking to you...Will or Dom or What's Your Name Again?  Full disclosure: I don't have a consistent favorite, yet you do have that special place in the family of being the youngest.  Your dad and I have been through this a few times, and we know how quickly all of this goes by.  You are so very special to us.  We love how much you enjoy hugging and snuggling and playing and reading and watching Dad play Zelda for hours...

You are so very clever and observe so much about our family.  I love to hear those observations later in the day when you tell Dad about everything that happened.  As much as I will miss the toddler you were, I love the kid you have become even more. You are interested in so many things and love to learn.  You show great patience when it come to waiting for your turn to do something whether it is a turn in a video or board game, waiting for me to give you my undivided attention, or waiting for a sibling to FINALLY finish their schoolwork so you have a playmate again.  Being the youngest cannot be easy as you work so hard to try to keep up.  And I am so grateful you seem to be up for the challenge. 

We love you so very much, John Eugene Anthony and are thankful that God chose you to be our son 5 years ago.  Life is wonderful with you in our family!  And now lets go bake a cake and open a present or two!