Michael is 5 Years Old!

Today Michael turned 5 years old! Can you believe it!?!?! He is such a big-boy now! Here is his annual picture with Rusty the Bear.

Michael is 44.5" tall and 44 pounds. Must be something about the number 4. Although since he is 5 now, he thinks he should be 45" and 45 pounds.

He started kindergarten last week, and is doing great. He's already got most of the academic stuff down pat. He knows all his letters and phonics. He writes all his letters, many words, and some sentences without help. Of course he writes his name.

Numbers are his strong-point. He can count virtually an unlimited number, although he just says he can count to 1,000. (It's true, he can.) He is doing basic addition and subtraction, and even some multiplication. (He's presently working on his multiplication tables up to 12.) His favorite number is quindecilion (which is 10 to the 48th power).

Michael finished up his first swimming classes this summer. He can swim about 10 feet all by himself, and an unlimited amount when he has on floaties or a vest. He finally mastered fully putting his head underwater, thanks to the expert teaching of his cousin Maddy when we were in Ohio.

We are excited to see what the next year will bring. Certainly when Michael turned 4, we had no idea all that the year would bring... the evaluations, tests, etc. But he's come through all of it like a champ, and doing so well. We are so incredibly proud of our big guy!