It's a Great Day to Be a Five (year old)

Riley's 5th birthday. I can't believe my baby's 5. I remember his "birth" day like it was yesterday. It wasn't, was it?

We kicked the morning off getting dressed for school. I woke him up singing "Happy Birthday to You." As we were putting on his socks, he says, "Mommy, my chest hurts." "Why?" I wonder. "From when that 5 came into me while I was sleeping, " he says...so serious I couldn't laugh...but my heart did melt a little bit. How cute is that? Where on earth do they get this stuff?

A chocolate cupcake with 5 candles for breakfast. Mommy would NEVER do this if it wasn't a birthday without eating lots of vegetables first!


We grabbed the chocolate cupcakes we made to take to school and as he climbed into the car, he was excited because I'd blown up several small balloons and threw them in the backseat (an idea I stole from my friend Ashley). A great day at school, complete with birthday crown, birthday hugs from friends, and there were so many kids out sick that day...they had cupcakes twice!
After school, our plans were to go to Tokyo Steak House. He'd never been there before, but I thought that because he loves to cook with me in the kitchen, he'd love it. I think everyone thought I was nuts for choosing that place, but I felt pretty good about it. Hoping he would too.


Before the chef even started cooking, he said, "Daddy, am I dreaming, or is this really happening to me?" He enjoyed the experience so much, ate his entire meal with chopsticks, and we all had a great time.

Some of the highlights were:

Daddy catching a shrimp in his mouth,
Riley catching a shrimp in his mouth,
(I actually caught a shrimp too, for the first time--but I had the camera!)

the volcano,

and the chopsticks.

Kace didn't feel the same way, at first. The moment the untinsils at the next stable started banging and clanging, he freaked out and tried to climb out of his high chair. "This is going to be a looooong night, " I thought, "what will he do when the fire starts up?" I imagined myself in the car with Kace while everyone else enjoyed Riley's birthday dinner. Not good. He did get better, as long as he was held. Mom held him through dinner and he did okay. He was VERY much aware of every flame that flared up in the entire restaurant. He would whip his head around like an owl. In the end, it turned out to be humorous....thank goodness!

For a split second, I regretted taking him there. Every kitchen rule I've ever taught him went out the window during this meal. No onions! Don't play with knives. Don't throw food. Don't touch fire, it will burn you...and hurt. I told him that these chefs had to go to school to learn how to do do these triks while cooking and he said, "When can I go to that school?" Oh dear...

Our chef in training! No knives, no fire!

Happy Birthday, Son. It's going to be an amazing year, I just know it. Especially because you told us the morning of your birthday, "That 5-year-olds listen."