My baby boy is 5...

We had Mr. Noah's 5 year birthday celebration this afternoon. Of course, we had it at "the gymnastics place" every parent's favorite birthday spot! I took so much delight in watching my sweet boy have the time of his life. I really believe he might have. He ran. He jumped. He rolled. He FLEW--those precious coaches who are magical with children, literally THREW him several feet in the air. Don't worry. He landed on foam. Laughing hysterically! I tell you what, it could've been a Mastercard "Priceless" commercial. The three men who were the coaches for the party were just perfect. They let Noah crawl all over them. They are incredibly good at what they do. They let the kids, particularly the little boys, push pretty far, just until it almost gets out of hand, and then they redirect them. That sounds a little wild, but in reality, it is such a unique experience for boys. It gives them a certain wildness and energy that I cannot give them at home in the safest way they can possibly have it and it still be meaningful. It's GREAT. The whole thing is great because it let's them be what they were created to be. WILD and uninhibited and free. It's something that's lost to our society. We do not let our men be men. So many little boys are being raised by mothers (or child-care givers) because daddy works ALL the time. Some moms are good at being boy-moms, but very, very few are the moms that can make boys men. That's something that I, speaking for myself, cannot get a grasp on. I get the need to be outside and rough and dominate, but I cannot teach my kids that because I am a woman. I don't get it any more than they will ever get that I need to talk about my feelings. Well, I guess I'll try to teach them that, but I think they'll probably just learn that they need to do it. Not why they need to do it. Because they're MEN. And I want them to be that way.....

I digress. I have to finish the birthday account. He picked a cute pirate theme--not scary Pirates of the Caribbean but cartoon-y pirates. And he wanted a cupcake cake that looked like an undersea scene. Can I just tell you how much BLUE icing it took to make that cupcake cake look like the ocean?! WOW. It was a LOT of blue. Everywhere. And you will be able to tell which kids from the neighborhood or church were at Noah's party because of the blue ring around their mouths for a week!

The most wonderful part of the party--even surpassing watching them have so much free fun--was what Noah said on the way home. "Mama," he said. "Yes, Noah?" I said. "I had so much fun." I melted. That was the sweet, sweet sound of a grateful heart. That is so typical of his wonderful soul. I will treasure that short conversation forever. He is my angel. In little boy skin. He is my heart. So wanted. So admired. So loved. Thank you, God, for my son.