Noah turned FIVE!!!

One of my favorite memories/traditions from growing up that made me feel special was my parents decorating my room for my birthday while I was sleeping. It was just so fun to wake up and immediately know that on that day it was all about me. So, we're hoping that doing that for our kids will be something to help us show them how special they are to us too! Here are some pictures that Mark took after the decorating was done (the outside of the boys' door, and then of Noah). I have to mention...I think it's funny how the Mr. Grinch toy seems to be sitting there on the bed scowling at the camera in protest of all this happy celebration. Ha!




Noah chose to have his big birthday party a couple of weeks after his birthday (while my parents would be in town), but we had a little "family celebration" on his actual birthday and let him open a couple of gifts. Here he is before opening presents from his cousins Audrey & Ezra!

And how can you not smile at this picture? Noah (being very into pirates currently) is wearing his Hook costume that he got at Christmas...but he got the matching hat from Linc for his birthday, and the wig and mustache (that he's been begging for) from Mark's parents for his birthday too. He loves the whole costume & puts it on at least once a day.

The best part of this clip (of us singing happy birthday to Noah) is Noah licking his lips while he looks at his dessert:


Now, like I do every birthday, I'd like to take some time to just write down some things about Noah and what he's like right now. And because the post is all about Noah I'll include some photos - a couple that I've posted previously (but love) and a couple more of him as Captain Hook that I took, since that's his thing right now...
Our Noah has grown up so much this last year. His current "stats" are: Height 40 3/4" (10th percentile) and weight 42.5 pounds (58th percentile). He's looking so much more like a "big boy" and he asks such grown up questions every day. Noah is a very observant child. He really absorbs what's going on around him...and remembers it. The details he can recall from things can be really astounding. He can be very shy when introduced to a new situation or new people, but once he feels comfortable he is a serious chatterbox. He particularly loves art and music right now. Besides the projects that he creates at school, he draws several pictures at home every day. He loves music and can remember lyrics and melody better than I can.
Anyone that knows Noah at all is also aware that (for years) he has loved being "into" a character that he can act out from a movie or show (Woody...Buzz...Fireman Sam...now Captain Hook) with coordinating costumes and props being a must. I think that besides simply enjoying the act of delving into a character, he enjoys becoming a movie character because he combines some of the aforementioned skills that he is good at and enjoys...memorizing details (lines of the movie, actions/mannerisms of the character) and singing. It can actually be quite entertaining to watch. I'll be interested to see if this is an interest that he holds onto as he gets older or if it's just something he's interested in as a younger child.
Noah also enjoys reading books/stories (and re-telling them) and has recently begun memorizing traditional nursery rhymes, which he enjoys. Some of his favorite foods right now are tacos, spaghetti, and anything chocolate. He learned how to swim this year and now can swim the entire length of our community pool without any help! He loves talking on the phone, helping cook/bake, playing outside, going to the library, taking pictures, looking up information (answers to questions) on the internet with mom or dad, and has recently begun playing on a t-ball team! He has enjoyed learning some Spanish at preschool and is always interested in learning how to say things in other languages. He loves anything with a theme (holidays, parties, etc) and he had a lot of fun playing such an active roll in planning his birthday party this year - which I'll show in an upcoming post. He's not a fan of brushing his teeth, helping clean up, or talking quietly.
We are so blessed to have Noah as part of our family, and we tell him that all of the time. He has such a fun, sweet, unique personality and I am so grateful to be his mother. I look forward to watching him grow over this next year and to seeing what new skills/interests he develops...and (out of curiosity) to see what takes the place of pirates as his next obsession!