He's Five!

At the end of December we celebrated Isaiah's fifth birthday.  It kinda seemed like a big deal; I mean, five is so much older and mature sounding than four.  It also means five years of being experimented on by his parents (only with parental tactics, mind you), five years of blazing the trail as the firstborn, and five years of filling our lives with more love and joy than we ever imagined we'd have as parents.

Isaiah's Birthday breakfast!

 And so, in light of all that awesomeness, I thought Isaiah deserved a post of his own!

It's pretty amazing at how much of their personality comes out while they are very young--as I reflect on who Isaiah is today, I realize we saw so many of these same traits by the time he was 18 months.

Isaiah is a sensitive little soul..  He doesn't like to be teased, tickled, or man-handled.  As a baby he hated being thrown up in the air, and still to this day doesn't like to be grabbed and tosssed around (while Ezra thrives on it!). Isaiah feels strong emotions for people who are hurting or suffering, and often initiates thoughtful gestures like making cards for people, or wanting to gift them with his toys to make them feel better. He is very responsive to discipline, and is generally very obedient. Considering that Ezra follows almost everything that Isaiah does, I am oh-so thankful that Isaiah, the eldest, is our most obedient one!

This kid loves structure. If something is out of line, he notices, and wants it to be corrected.  He is observant and interested about what's happening around him--noticing minute details relating to people, landscape, and circumstances.  It's fun to watch him converse with others so much older than him (often times the Bible school students we work with), because he can be so interested in others and will initiate dialogue with them about their day, experiences, etc.

Isaiah also tends to get frustrated easily when learning a new skill. Perfectionism maaaaaay run in his blood a little bit, so when he doesn't do something just right the first time, or the task seems overwhelming to him, he breaks down. It's something we've worked on/struggled with him for a couple years now, and it's been really neat in the last year to see him start to gain the ability to get self-control after the start of a complete melt-down. He is also definitely an introvert.  If he gets hurt, or upset, or has a bad attitude, his bed is his go-to place for comfort.  It could range from 5 seconds to 5 minutes of alone time, and he usually pops out back to normal and all okay.

Last week he went skiing for the first time and did great!

He is also sensitive to the things of God.  This is something we've noticed since he was probably two or so.  He loves loves loves to read his children's Bible, and as we talk through the things we read about, and the ways that we see God at work in and around us, it's humbling to see Isaiah's faith and trust in Jesus grow.  A couple months ago he was sitting at the kitchen table, and out of the blue said, "Mom, I wonder where Jesus will want me to go when I'm an adult?"  As he continuing talking about the different options he was considering that Jesus may choose for him, I was really encouraged. If at the age of four our son is already learning and thinking about that the best place to be is where ever Jesus wants him to be, then somehow we are communicating what's truly important--even in the midst of our mistakes and parental errors.

A few fun facts:
If you ask Isaiah his favorite food, he will say "Candy".  Since our children are restricted to 12 small pieces of candy a year (only kidding...except not really....doesn't that seem like too much??....ha!), that won't go very far to fill his belly.  So if you ask him what his second favorite food is he will probably respond "Nachos!". (To which we say: "Atta boy!"  Seriously, tortilla chips, refried beans, melty cheese, salsa and sour cream...what more could you for in delicious flavor combinations?!?!?!) Veggies and Hummus are also extremely high on his list of favorites.

Isaiah can EAT.  He is a solid tank of child, packed into a frame that does not look anywhere near as sturdy as he is. He often will sit down to a meal and say, 'Wow, this is a FEAST!'.  It's fun to cook for him. ;)

He will sit for hours on end if someone will read to him.  Books are the best!  (He has started to read small words by himself, and the delight on his face is incredibly rewarding!)

He loves Legos, and following the building directions.

Working on a new set after Christmas with dad and cousin Brody

Isaiah is a super straightener.  While he actually hates cleaning things that are dirty (Ezra's dream jobs!), he loves to tidy up and pick up rooms. And wow, is he amazing at it.  Last week I asked him what kind of activity he thought he should do (during the quiet time in the afternoon), and he thought he should definitely clean the living room, since it was pretty messy.  Well yes, son, go right ahead - what an excellent idea! :)

He sleeps solidly 11-12 hours a night, and takes a 'rest' time every afternoon. I usually have him lay in his bed or on the couch for 30-45 minutes (he very rarely sleeps, but is supposed to be still and quiet), and then he does another 45-60 minutes of quiet independent playtime, while his two little brothers nap.  We also get to enjoy some one-on-one time together, which is great.  During our time together, he will often say things like, "It's so great we can spend time with just us." Or, "It's so nice to be with you, Mommy."  It's always great for a self-esteem boost. :)

Playing outside together while the little boys nap.

Isaiah is a super, super, super big brother!  He is so careful and gentle with Judah, and a great helper to me.  He is becoming my go-to 'babysitter'.  I put Judah in his crib with a few toys, and Isaiah sits outside the crib in Judah's room, showing him books, singing him songs, and keeping him entertained when there's something I have to get done without Judah around.  Isaiah usually responds to my requests for help with Judah by saying, "Oh boy, you betcha!" or, "Of course, Mom, of course!", or "Oh boy, you know I will!"

our trio of cuteness

Aaaah....Judah is trying to escape! 

We are so thankful for Isaiah.  He is such a blessing to us and our family, and it's a privilege to be his parents!

One final note - we celebrated his birthday with his cousin Brody (they are 11 days apart!) while we on our Christmas vacation.  Isaiah wanted a banana split cake this year, so.....tada!

It started with 3 layers of banana cake, with a cool whip/cream cheese frosting and sliced bananas.

Finished with more frosting, a layer of fudge, strawberries, bananas, cool whip, and sprinkles. Yum!

Happy Birthday to you!

Classic Isaiah face: "Seriously Mom, can you stop with the pictures?!"