Bennett at 5

Bennett!  You are just my bestest friend, we have so much fun together every day!  I can't believe it has been 5 years since you were born.  What a milestone birthday!

Some things about you right now:

• You are an amazing big brother to Morgan!  I was nervous how you would adapt to having to share me, but you've been so great.  You are always willing to go grab things for me, or to try to comfort Morgan when she's crying, or to be patient and alter your plans when my attention is needed elsewhere.  It has made the transition to 2 kids so much easier than I expected and I am so grateful to you for remaining so cheerful even though I'm sure it's been hard sharing attention.
• You have been more invested in your strider bike this summer and we go on bike rides daily.  While most of the other kids your age in the neighborhood are already on pedal bikes, I'm just glad you are willing to be on your bike so much this summer.  Last summer it was a struggle to even get you on it.
• You've switched rooms AGAIN and are back in the one you first had when we moved in.  We converted it from Aria's nursery into a full big-boy room for you, including new paint and upgrading to a twin bed with bedding you picked out yourself.
• You sleep in your own bed all night again.  You always had, up until Aria died.  After that you went through periods of staying in your own bed or climbing into ours.  Right before Morgan was born you were in another period of sneaking into our bed almost nightly.  After I came home from the hospital you did sleep in my bed one of those first nights home.  But then the second time you tried climbing into bed in the middle of the night, Daddy and I were awake burping Morgan and I told you that you could sleep there, but that Morgan was spitting up a lot and might spit up on you.  I will never forget the look of disgust you gave us as you turned tail and went back to your room without a word.  You haven't bothered trying again since!
• You are a great eater!  About a year ago I instituted a rule where at dinner you needed to try one bite of everything, and also eat all your veggies before you could be excused.  It didn't take long before you would do that without complaint, and as a result your tastes have expanded significantly.  Now you will even ask to try a new food that you see before we offer it.  If you don't like it you tell us, but you politely swallow the bite without complaint (usually).  It's been awesome to have you be so good with foods now!
• You can write all your numbers and uppercase letters well but struggle with lowercase letters.
• You can read about 20 words, mostly by memorization though rather than actually reading.  You have just barely started to figure out how to sound out letters to make short words with common endings (bat, hat, rat, etc)
• You love mazes and simple puzzles, both doing them and drawing your own.  You also like making up your own board games.
• You love numbers and can do simple addition and subtraction problems.
• All of a sudden you love drawing and go through stacks of paper weekly.  Because of all this practice, your artistic skills have taken a major leap!  We can always tell what you've drawn and there's incredible attention to detail.
• You still love all things water and swimming, and thanks to multiple swim lesson sessions this summer can backfloat for a good minute, and swim with your head in the water about 5 feet!
• You can dress yourself completely now, including buttons and most shoes.  You have also started having opinions on the clothes you wear.  I have always picked out clothes for you each morning and you would put them on, but recently you've come out of your room wearing other combinations instead (you'll always wear specific clothes if I ask you to though).  Your favorite current shirt is your Captain America one.
• Your favorite color is "turk-a-voyz" (turquoise)
• You're very friendly and will readily talk to anyone who is kind to you.  (Don't worry, I've had my discussions with you about not going with strangers!)
• Your favorite tv show is a cartoon called Teen Titans.  You have finally started being interested in non-animated shows as well though.
• You love all things fancy in the tub - bubble bath, bath bombs, yummy smelling soaps, etc.
• You're very black and white when it comes to rules, and insist on others keeping them as well.
• Your favorite candies are anything gummy/sour/fruity. 
• You are finally gathering some physical coordination.  Up until now, quite honestly you've been very clumsy at anything athletic.  I don't know if it's just age, or if our daily bike rides are strengthening you significantly, but suddenly you can do things like keeping control of a ball.
• You love primary but still have yet to get up to sing with them in sacrament meeting.