Happy Birthday Benjamin
March 9, 2005. Welcome to the family Benjamin Thomas! The events before and after your birth were exciting and stressful as we were trying to sell our house, then not, then again and then moving when you were just 6 weeks old or so. Life wasn't quiet, that's for sure. You arrived as our biggest newborn. I guess you were making your bold statement from the first moment! And the hair...oh my goodness, you had hair that was thick and black and plentiful! And we loved you immediately...every one of us. There was no lack of attention for you, that's for sure.
Grandpa called you Haas from the get go I think (which is now so fitting considering we also have a "Little Joe"). Your life was full of adventure even by the time you were only 4 months old as you rode on the train to and from California for Aunt Lexi's wedding. You were and are well-adjusted when it comes to doing something new...being passed around and around as an infant, staying with Grandma and Grandpa by yourself at a very early age and even just recently staying with them for a little more than a week and while there helping Grandpa feed the cows by driving the Jeep. You were up every morning, dressed with your cowboy shirt tucked in like a good cowboy, pjs put neatly away, bed made, ready for the day. What a big boy!
Each year you've been so excited for your birthday to arrive as you've waited through Joe and Josh's days. This year was little easier for you, but you were still pretty excited about it all from breakfast in bed to your chosen dirt cake with worms. You took "star pops" to school as your treat the day before, so your celebration started a day early at school.
I'm glad that I am writing this a few days after your birthday, because it allows me to reflect on your first week of being a five year old. You have had a rough week, and for a while I was stumped for a reason why. Then, you said it: "I'm five now. I know everything. I don't have to listen anymore." Wow! We've been working on explaining that you have years ahead of you that you will still have to listen and that we still know things too. I'm not sure why five is your magical age of transition to independence, but I pray you decide soon that it isn't fun to always be mad.
When you're not mad, youlove to play waiter and serve everyone's food at the table. You enjoy having jobs that are for big kids. You really like to play make-believe with Mathilda and Joe. You're smitten with Lillian in your class but everyday have to give Willy and Celia hugs before leaving. You wear a size 6 pants, 12 shoe and share a room with Joshua and Jonathan. You take at least one bath or shower a day and sometimes more than one, and you still go your own way at the store or the park or anywhere and cause a mild panic while we look for you and you are very sneaky (and sometimes not, but you think you are!)
We love you Benjamin! You are my favorite Benjamin in the whole world and I'm so excited about year number 5!
Grandpa called you Haas from the get go I think (which is now so fitting considering we also have a "Little Joe"). Your life was full of adventure even by the time you were only 4 months old as you rode on the train to and from California for Aunt Lexi's wedding. You were and are well-adjusted when it comes to doing something new...being passed around and around as an infant, staying with Grandma and Grandpa by yourself at a very early age and even just recently staying with them for a little more than a week and while there helping Grandpa feed the cows by driving the Jeep. You were up every morning, dressed with your cowboy shirt tucked in like a good cowboy, pjs put neatly away, bed made, ready for the day. What a big boy!
Each year you've been so excited for your birthday to arrive as you've waited through Joe and Josh's days. This year was little easier for you, but you were still pretty excited about it all from breakfast in bed to your chosen dirt cake with worms. You took "star pops" to school as your treat the day before, so your celebration started a day early at school.
When you're not mad, youlove to play waiter and serve everyone's food at the table. You enjoy having jobs that are for big kids. You really like to play make-believe with Mathilda and Joe. You're smitten with Lillian in your class but everyday have to give Willy and Celia hugs before leaving. You wear a size 6 pants, 12 shoe and share a room with Joshua and Jonathan. You take at least one bath or shower a day and sometimes more than one, and you still go your own way at the store or the park or anywhere and cause a mild panic while we look for you and you are very sneaky (and sometimes not, but you think you are!)
We love you Benjamin! You are my favorite Benjamin in the whole world and I'm so excited about year number 5!
