Patrick is Five (Almost)

Our Patrick John Edward will be five years old in two short days, and though it pains my heart that he's growing into a kid and out of anything related to a baby or toddler, I am really amazed with the kid he is growing into.  He is kind and sensitive, so smart and, let's be fair, a bit attitude-ridden.  He has opinions about everything, is a little more cautious about trying new foods, and his vocabulary is rapidly expanding. 

Highlights from this week included the incorporation of the following into Patrick's vocabulary:

A few mornings ago, we were up and moving and Patrick was allowed 15 minutes on his DS before breakfast.  When his time was almost up, I said, "Alright, Patrick, are you ready for some breakfast now?"  Without even looking up, Patrick said, "Oh, no thanks, Mom.  I would, but I'm extraordinarily busy."  Extraordinarily.  Really.  Let me show you extraordinarily busy, sweet boy. 

Then, on Saturday, I came home from an out-of-town baby shower to find Patrick sitting on the couch with Adam.  (Thanks to his new love for all things DS, we've had a few pee accidents when he gets too absorbed in a game to stop and use the bathroom).  When I sat down next to him, I said, "Hey, buddy.  Any pee in your pants today?"  "Eh," he replied, "not excessively."   Excessively.  Certainly, this was a coincidence and he really didn't know what he was saying.  So I asked him to tell me what "not excessively" meant.   He didn't hesitate to tell me, "It means not a lot."  Touche.  He is a smart boy, that Patrick Walden.

Because his birthday is in two days, and I'll have to work (Boo.  I know.), we have a moment now to start Patrick's birthday interview. 

Patrick Walden's Official 5th Birthday Interview

1.) How old are you going to be?  Five.  I'm going to be five. Can you believe that?  I'm going to be five and after I'm five, I'm going to be six.  (Singing) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, siiiiiiix.  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, siiiiixxx.

2.) Do you know when you're going to be five?  Of course!  On my birthday.

3.) When is your birthday?  February 6th.  Can I play my DS?

4.) No.  How does it feel to be almost five? Um, happy?  It does feel really happy. Because I want to  be five. 

5.) How will your birthday be? It think it will be good. 

6.) How do you think the weather will be on your birthday?  I don't know.  Snowing.  Is it going to be snowing for my birthday?

7.) Probably.  What is the most important thing you have learned in life so far?  How to be extraordinarily busy.  (I'm serious.  I didn't prompt this.)

8.)  How do think you're different than you were a year ago?  I don't know.  Well, I have different hair.  And I'm white. 

9.) What is your favorite thing about yourself?  That I'm going to be five.

10.) That's it?  Yeah.  That I'm going to be five.

11.)  You are in the Butterfly class this year.  How do you like it?  I like it because I have friends. Yeah.  Are there ten people in kindergarten?  Probably not.  It's not excessive.  (I am not doing this.)

12.)  Who is your best friend?  Luke & Simeon.

13.) What is one thing you like to learn about? I like to learn about my letters.

14.) Is there anything you would do to make school better?  Like...learning?  I have no idea what you just said.

15.)  Tell me about our family.  Uhh.  My family is great.  My family is good.  My family loves me.  My family takes care of me.  That's all that they do.  And they tell me to pick up messes and sometimes I don't.  And that's it. 

16.) What do you like about being a big brother?  I do not know.  Being a big brother?  Learning about sharing and playing with each other and showing them...like...Otto and toys and Mommy & Daddy stuff.

17.) If you had a whole day to do anything you wanted, what would you do?  I would do stuff.  Run outside and play.  Play with my toys and when you and Dad say I can play my DS, I would do that.  That's what I would do. 

18.) What is your favorite song?  How Bad Can I Be (from the Lorax).

19.) What is your favorite movie?  The Lorax.

20.) What is your favorite book?  The God Book (Children's Bible).

21.) What is your favorite toy?  The toy the baby has right now.  Does that make sense? 

22.) What do you want to be when you grow up?  I want to be a doctor.  Is this the last one?

23.)  Not quite.  Do you think you will ever get married?  Yeah.  I just want to get married to my mom.

24.) How old do you think you'll be when you get married?  Veeerry old.  Like 99 or maybe 60.  Probably 60.

25.) What have you learned about girls this year?  What do you mean?  I don't learn about girls.

26.) What is your favorite food?  Broccoli.

27.) What is your favorite candy?  Oooooh.  I don't eat candy.  Haha...I'm kidding.  My favorite candy is chocolate.

28.) Are you scared of anything?  Nah.  I'm not scared of anything.

29.) Is there anything else you'd like to say?  No.  I would just really like to remember what it's like to be five.