Happy Friday, folks. Graham’s 5th birthday is Sunday. In honor of the special occasion, this “Five on Friday” is all about G.

1. Time Flies

I don’t want to be all Debbie Downer “Dingoes ate my baby,” but where the heck did he go? The whole “your children will grow up so quickly” is legit. I mean, I was just pregnant. Really… I still have back pain and have not lost all the (cough, cough) baby weight. How is this guy FIVE already?

When we brought Graham home from the hospital, Wells was less than impressed. He asked me if I could go back to the hospital to get another baby. I asked him if he meant an additional baby or a different baby. He said, “Different… the one we have is really boring.”

Man, did Graham prove him wrong.

2. Simmer down

From the get go, Graham thought he could do ALL THE THINGS. He pulled up early, walked early and apparently came without the fear. At first, we thought he was trying to keep up with big brother. When he started climbing on tables and jumping off, we knew that G was an entirely different kind.

3. Laugh In

He also learned early on that we are easily amused. He appointed himself chair of the entertainment committee, and we haven’t had a dull day since.

I have the worst memory and am envious of mothers who can spout off the month and day their children ate green peas for the first time. I can’t remember the last time I washed my hair. (Insert your own dirty hair/dry shampoo joke here.) If I could offer one tiny bit of advice to new mothers, it would be to write stuff down. It doesn’t have to be fancy, a Word document will do. Just make sure you back up your computer.

He says and does the most hilarious things. And he has the best laugh. Some of it I recorded, some of it I did not. If I didn’t have one million pictures and this blog, I wouldn’t even know where these tiny people came from.

4. Consistency Is Key

He was all about the pacifier. Had multiple within reach at all times. Wells didn’t take one, so we were a little nervous about G giving it up. Right before he turned two, we took him to the dentist for a check up. I decided to blame the whole thing on her and told him the dentist said no more paci. He handed it over and never looked back. I wish everything was that easy.

He loves rice. Not the rice I cook at home… Hibachi fried rice. At least weekly he announces that his rice tank is low and that we need to go to “cook on the table.” The amount he consumes at one sitting is disturbing.

He also loves his ducky and has been dragging that guy around since Lily gave it to him. I hope he never grows out of it.

Well, maybe when he goes to college.

5. Little Gamer

Before our kids were born, we decided not to have gaming systems in our home. For his birthday, Graham asked for a swimming pool, trampoline, hot tub and Xbox. I think he threw in the other three things to make the Xbox seem doable. I am fairly certain he has never played Super Mario, but he begged to have a “Marios” party.

Whatever. I’ll be chilling in the new hot tub.

Happy Birthday, G. You are one of a kind.