tj turns 5

today, my little boyfriend turns 5. and i still can't decide how i feel about it. sometimes i feel like he has grown in the blink of an eye & other times i'm surprised he isn't older. 

it's probably because he is so versatile. he's good at playing up to cooper & acting like a regular school-aged kid & next thing you know he's back down at mylo's level. he's a people pleaser-in a good way. he loves to make others happy-but he never does so at the expense of his own happiness. he has an awesome sense of humor & isn't afraid to use it. he is a charmer & he definitely has his mama wrapped around his little finger. he is passionate & he loves deep. he is the best snuggler, hugger, & hair stroker i know. he has a heart bigger than his little body can hold. he has the most genuine smile that always makes my heart burst. he is thoughtful, caring, empathetic, & aware of those around him. he is a problem solver, & a true thinker. he is my closet genius. he is smart. like really, really smart. at his parent-teacher conference his teacher suggested ways he needed to improve academically (none socially since she raves & says he is the best behaved student she's ever had). i laughed to myself because everything she suggested were things he's already mastered-as far as a 5 year old is concerned. counting? he can go well beyond 200. oh & he's already adding & subtracting. letters? not only does he know upper case & lower case, he can read. when i asked him why he doesn't speak up more in class he simply said, "i already know the answers. why should i tell them?" he is confident & has absolutely no need to prove himself to anyone else. i love it. he is obsessed with football & can almost always be found with a ball in his hand. his favorite team is the miami dolphins & his favorite player is todd watkins, duh. his favorite thing to do is run plays at the park with his brothers & his daddy. or harass siri for up to date information on the latest scores & team rankings. he knows routes & has some incredible jukes. he's developed a few nicknames on the field, "tackle tj," "tj watt," & "coach." he is my best helper & is always down to cook & clean when no one else will lend a helping hand. he loves being with his family & is always sure to include everyone. he is shy & reserved but his wild side comes out when he's around his brothers. i tease that he has two volumes, hushed or hollering. he has a silent strength that amazes me. he  inherited his mommy's sweet tooth & his daddy's dislike for fruits & veggies-but he is developing a liking for some fresh produce, especially broccoli. oh, & he can never get enough nori. if given the option, i'm sure he would eat oreos & taco salad daily.  he takes after both of his parents equally but i think he reminds me most of his auntie lys. he has a heart of gold-just like she. he is silly. he comes up with the most wild ideas that make me giggle on the regular. he brings so much peace & so much joy to our family. we are blessed beyond measure to have him in our home.  we love you more than all the sand on all the beaches.

he really is a cruise little guy. his only birthday requests were to stay home & play with his new presents until todd was pau hana. then he wanted to go play family football at the pit. he wanted to eat donuts for breakfast, tacos for lunch, taco salad for dinner, & Christmas oreo milkshakes for dessert. i'm used to long detailed birthday wish lists so it felt like a special treat to have such a chill day to relax & soak up the birthday boy. he did love being the birthday boss & making little decisions like who gets to say prayer, what show to watch, & when we wrapped up football. he was so excited for his big day, he had a count down going for the past 54 days. today, he would spontaneously bursting out, "it's my birthday!" 

1.  tj's best friend: tave
2.  tj's name: t.j. watkins
3.  tj prefers to go by: t.j.
4.  tj's favorite animals: sharks
5.  what does tj want to be when he grows up: a daddy & a football player
6.  tj's favorite movie: wild kratts

7.  tj's favorite song: "i like to move it, move it"

8.  what makes tj happy? playing football at the pit with his brothers & daddy

9.  what makes tj sad? going to school
10.  tj's favorite food:  taco salad
11.  tj's favorite place: the pit
12.  tj's favorite color: blue
13.  tj's favorite game: ncaa football on the playstation
14.  tj's #1 wish right now: to go in the t.v. & play on the ncaa football game