High FIVE!

We don't know how it happened... it felt like overnight, but somehow, in the past five years, our sweet little boy grew up and turned FIVE!  He's turned into a wonderful, sweet, thoughtful, smart, funny, silly, charming boy.  He has such a wonderful fun-loving personality, and he is an amazing big brother, teaching Frankie all sorts of words, colors, shapes, and of course, superheroes.

He's probably the only five-year-old we know who doesn't like pizza.  But he makes up for it with his love of ice cream.  He loves turkey & cheese sandwiches, and he still loves M&Ms (Grandpa would send them to San Francisco, and TJ would eat M&Ms with Pa on Skype).  His favorite food of all-time -- Mac & Cheese.

He's a total Grandma's boy, but he spreads his love with Pa & Aunt G, too.  His best buddies at school are Caleb P., Caleb G. & Braden, and he still loves Jack & Asher.  He'll attend Global Village Academy with Caleb P. in the fall, and the two are starting on the same soccer team in a few weeks.

TJ can read... he's mastered sight words and beyond.  His favorite book this week is "Big Hero 6." He loves to draw, do math at school and he can tell time.  He loves superheroes, Batman is his favorite, and he enjoys playing with his matchbox cars and Legos.  He continues to do gymnastics, and he plays basketball.  Recently, he's taken an interest in martial arts, and he keeps asking to take a karate class.

TJ fell in love with karate after winning two free classes and a birthday party during Parker's Trick-or-Treat on Main Street.  It was the perfect way to celebrate TJ's birthday.  Pa, Grandma and Aunt G joined all of TJ's friends to party at Competitive Edge Mixed Martial Arts in Highlands Ranch.  The instructor was great, taking the 12 kiddos through all sorts of fun drills... kicking, punching, running and jumping.

 

The two highlights:  TJ got to cut his cake with a real Samurai sword!!!  And he was able to break a board with his knee in front of all of his friends.  It took a lot of tries, but TJ never gave up, and his determination was rewarded with loud cheers from his buddies.

Nana flew in after the party and helped celebrate the rest of the weekend.  On TJ's birthday, we walked to the park and had a McDonald's picnic there.  Then, on the way home, we enjoyed ice cream before going back to play with all his new toys.  It was quiet, relaxing and perfect!