No More FOUR!

Five precious years...what a gift.

Happy Birthday, Second Little Nguyen! He's our baby no more, and he isn't at all shy about saying so. The beginning of the week brought about the Countdown to FIVE -- each day we would count to figure out how many more days he had to be four. And, finally, the day arrived...

And what a busy, busy day it was.

Not only was he the Snack Spy at school, but the Second Little Nguyen was also the V.I.P. This meant that, in addition to snack and birthday cupcakes ("I want blue and green frosted cupcakes with sprinkles and jellybeans, Mom!"), we had to find an extra arm with which to carry show-and-tell to preschool! WHEW! What a load! Ms. Janet invited me to come in to have lunch with the Second Little Nguyen, and that is always such a hoot to sit with four-year olds while they are having their lunchtime discussion! The preschoolers helped themselves to cupcakes after lunch, and then the Second Little Nguyen took his turn in the V.I.P (Very Important Preschooler) chair, telling all about the army men he brought for show-and-tell.

After school, we went to the First Little Nguyen's school for his Fall Learning Experience. The Second Little Nguyen is so used to spending time there that he really fits in. He listened to the teacher read a special story and then took his turn going to four different craft centers. He left with a bag full of yummies and fun little trinkets!

With about an hour to in between, we moved on from school to the First Little Nguyen's All-Star Soccer Game at church and then ate out for dinner. By that point in the day, and after kicking a soccer ball around with Mom and Dad for an hour, the Second Little Nguyen was moving swiftly into "overload mode." He found the enthusiasm, however, to open a few gifts. After a warm shower, he put on his fuzzy baseball pj's in which to blow out his candles!

365 days x 5 has flown by in the blink of an eye. It's funny....when I looked at his precious little face asleep in bed tonight, I could see the same little face with the pumpkin hat that I held in my arms five short years ago tonight. He had a head full of soft black hair, the same hair I often find his fingers entwined in. Even then, I knew he would be such a calm, sweet-natured child. And that's exactly what he became. He's not easily upset, he has a quiet way about him, he's thoughtful and perfectly easy to love. He's all of the things we could have ever wished for, and we often wonder what we did to deserve him. God's gifts to Chi and I have been wonderful, and our children are ever-changing....sort of like blossoms. Birthdays are as much for children as they are for parents. Each year their birthdays remind us to look back and think of how our children have changed, how they have grown and what they are becoming. When we held His gifts in our arms when they were babies, we had no idea how He would continue to bless and amaze us through them. All children are a wonder of His creation, and of course they remind us of our humanity and imperfection at times. They challenge us, they wear us out, and they make us laugh in the process. Our hearts both burst with joy and shed tears of pain as we watch them work their way through life. We are continously amazed at the enormity of this job called parenthood and how important it really is. Our Little Nguyens are truly a blessing -- ones we get to touch, to kiss, to hug and to hear each day.

Happy Birthday to our sweet Little Nguyen. We love you more than you can imagine.