This post is much overdue but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to write about my firstborn. David has turned FIVE and it still amazes me. I continually remind him that he was once the size of Jordan and he giggles with delight as I try to cuddle him in my arms like a newborn. His now lanky legs overflow out of my arms as he wiggles to try to break free, all the while he keeps saying "tickle me", again, again. Brian has come up with nicknames for all of the boys as they have grown and David's is "Mr. Smiles".
As our journey together continues, Brian and I pray for wisdom to teach and discipline David. My hearts desire is that he will follow in the footsteps of David, who sought to please God and wanted to be more and more like him everyday. I see this in David now, as we remain digilent in our training and he gets disciplined for disobeying. There are many days that he'll drop his head to the ground and say, ' I wanted to be good for you, mommy'. I can see the disappointment in his eyes as he realizes he failed to reach his goal. He has such a sensitive heart yet he can be so selfish minutes later, pushing and shoving for his place in the world. I can't help but feel a sadness for him, yet I am learning that his complex nature is a perfect opportunity to grow me in areas that need pruning........
For his birthday David was so excited to go to Chuck E Cheese. It seemed like a "big kid" thing to do. A few of his close friends, mainly from church joined us for the fun and a good time seemed to be had by all. I hadn't been to Chuck E Cheese since my elementary days, and apparently not much has changed. The game where you roll the ball up the lane and try to get it into the different holes for points, was still there. It has always been a favorite and we couldn't help but cheat a little, letting Reagan walk up the lane and put the balls in. 2,000 or so points (tickets) later and the boys came home with two plastic spiders. Money well spent.
This past year David has learned to ride his bike without training wheels, write his full name- which he loves to do- and recite his address and telephone number, among other things. He draws a beautiful rainbow and likes to draw pictures of us, usually in his favorite color blue. He's finicky about how he folds his toilet paper and straightens the lines on his socks, but has been wearing the same rubberband bracelets for about a month now religiously. His recent accomplishment was taking swimming lessons with Daniel and "graduating" from preschool. He was so proud of himself and I got a kick out of watching him pal around with his buddies at his graduation. It was evident he'd made friends that a few he might remember forever, as his first best friends. As he marched down the church aisle in his cap and gown, I couldn't help but remember the first time I held him, after he was born, and his first step, first word........and now on to the first day of school. Five years have past and a new venture is about to begin. Happy belated birthday to my first born. You have changed our lives forever.
