Liam's 5th Birthday

Liam and I spent the afternoon executing a replica of the Milwaukee Road in edible media.  Every few minutes, he would clasp his hands together and exclaim, "best cake ever!!"

Later, Grandpa Bill and MK joined us for dinner, and Liam ate the front end of the Hiawatha passenger diesel along with a scoop of ice cream.

Not only that, but he got a rocket alarm clock the projects the time onto the ceiling, and a real telescope. And we found Kitty after a three week absence.  Get this: she was in the dining room table.  (It slides apart in order to insert leaves, and last time we slide it back together, somehow she got stuck inside the pocket.) It was a good birthday.

For the record, here are a few distinguishing characteristics of our newly minted 5-year-old:

• He can count to 100 and even do basic division (e.g. if we made a dozen muffins, and divided them equally, how many would each person in our family get).
• We're reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - his first chapter book with no pictures, and his first literary encounter with deception and suspense.
• He has three permanent teeth (two years ahead of schedule on those) and he's taller than all the other preschoolers.
• He continues to be such an affectionate boy, giving us many hugs and kisses, and telling me "I love you more every day!"