Dear Kaplan,

You handsome little sucker are FIVE!

One. Whole. Hand.

You've grown up so much this year.  You're basically like a full on big kid now (I just don't always like admitting it...)

You are full on country boy through and through.  You love to be outside--in the ditch, in the woods, in the dirt, on the boat, on the side by side, in the deer stand or duck blind, all of it.  You also love to catch lizards and frogs and worms (but you are absolutely terrified of anything that could possibly sting or bite you).  

This year, you upped your sleeping game.  You are such a bear to wake up in the mornings (that should make starting school next year so much fun...)  Snuggling is still your favorite and I love that.  

Kaplan...you can weave a story like nobody's business.  You pay attention to all the details and the process and can recite them back just fine.  The only problem is that is takes you a loooong time to tell your stories.  Long-winded, you are ;)

You finally got brave in water this year and absolutely love to go swimming (still with a puddle jumper).  Going to the beach is your favorite camp activity--plus that means a boat ride, another favorite of yours.  

You are a mama's boy all the way.  You always have been, but it really amped up since you've had your teeth worked on (that trauma stuck you to me like glue).  It's kind of weird to think this will be your last year at home with me, but I'm so excited to see how much you learn in school.  That being said, you are also daddy's buddy (he calls you "wee man").  You love to be his helper and go on all the adventures you can with him.  He loves it too :)

At the end of May, you got to go on your first big "no parent" trip with Mimi and Papa!  They brought you, Aby, Evan, and KK to Colorado and you had an absolute blast.  You got to see a lot of animals (your favorite was the wolf), ride the gondola over the Royal Gorge, fish in the same pond I did growing up, and play in the snow!  You thought you were hot stuff traipsing across the country without mama and daddy OR your brother and sister.

You've become a little bit violent this year... :/  I blame Papa!  You and Landry love to wrestle--which usually leads to one of you getting hurt and it turns in to a real fight which is completely exhausting for me.  However, you two are thick as thieves and have each other's backs to the end--this gives me a preview of you two as teens and adults and it makes me so, so happy.  You and Bella are also quite the little team, coming up with all kinds of imaginative games to play (and she does her fair share of wrestling with you too...).  You'll tell each other secrets and give hugs and make plans.  I hope all three of you are always best friends.

This was your first year to get to play t-ball!  You've been so (im)patiently waiting to be old enough to be on a team.  You played for the Twins through Bridge City Little League and loved every minute.  You got several good hits and (while most of the other kids weren't paying attention) watched the ball the whole time, ready to "make a play".  It was basically herding cats, but it was a start, and you loved it.  Plus you were unbelievably cute in your uniform.

Surprise, surprise--you still love music (which I hope never changes).  Daddy has a playlist for the boat and you know every single song on there; and you get so pumped when you hear them out and about!  You also love all of the songs from the Descendants movies (Kidz Bop is our current favorite Pandora station), TobyMac, and the songs you've learned at VBS and Kids Rock Jr.  

You love books and reading (I also hope this never changes).  Library story time is one of our favorite summer activities!  You also learned how to write your name several weeks ago which turned in to learning a bunch of other names and letters.  You will sit for hours and write and write and write.

You're still a very friendly child and make new friends easily.  You're not super shy (especially if I'm not around) and love to play with other kids--at church, at the gym, anywhere you can find them.  I hope you'll always be the kind kid. 

Kaplan Paul, you are little ball of energy who adds a dose of extra fun and extra sweet to our family.  And you're too cute for any of us to handle.  You'll always be our favorite Kap :)

Your daddy and I will fight for you, protect you, teach you, and love you every single day of our lives.  You will always be our precious, perfect son; our second baby; our beautiful, blessed gift. 

Happy birthday, sweet boy!  I  love you more than you will ever know.

xoxo, mama