Luke, at 5

You had your 5 year well visit yesterday, buddy. You continue to stay on the same growth curve, at 43 lb and 43 inches. Last year you were 40 and 40 ~ I picture you looking like a little circle of boy :). You are strong, and healthy, and thankfully free of any health or emotional problems at the moment.

At 5 you are kind hearted and extremely active bodied. You are the most innately generous kid I have ever seen ~ I don't know if this is related to having a sibling a mere 13 months younger, or just how you are wired ~ but you share everything. Everything. You can drive me a little crazy at times with the energy and the noise..........and I know that a huge part of that is just being in the house more than I would like due to the weather. Even if it has been unseasonably warm, we are in the house a lot more due to darkness and school. Summer is going to be great for us buddy, just great. You just finished your first basketball program and got your first trophy tonight, pics to follow. You are so proud of it ~ it is sleeping right next to your bed. You are good at sports, and I'm not just saying that as a braggy Mom, but your athleticism is obvious. You love to draw, and I am loving seeing your pictures get more elaborate as you include the entire family, trees, houses etc. Its like you are growing up right before my eyes. You still nap, which I love and appreciate and will forever be grateful to you for. 1-3 every day. Some days I think that you don't sleep and just play or read, but other days I'm up there waking you up at 3:30 or 4. You go to bed at 8, you come crawling into my bed at 6:40 where you snuggle down all warm and cozy with me until 7, when we get up. Sometimes I think of the darling and innocent toddler you were and my heart just aches, I want it to be that simple again, I want you to need me that much again......yet at the same time I savor the independent things that you can and do do. You love to help me around the house, every day you know that you are responsible for taking your dirty clothes to the laundry room, setting the table, and clearing your plate. You clean your room every few days. You love to help clean windows. You are an amazing eater ~ you down things like kale and salmon and spicy salsa with relish. I love watching you eat. You are so, so kind to your siblings. You set the tone in our home Luke, and I 100% credit you for creating a feeling of "team" amongst the Mangan kids. Jake and Julia adore you, and deservedly so.

I'm oh, oh so tired, but I wanted to get this written. It doesn't do you justice, buddy. You are a great kid, and easy kid, but most importantly, a kind kid. I love you.

Luke's kindergarden registration paperwork got filled out at his 5 year visit. I register him next week. Emotional.