My angel baby first born turns 5 tomorrow and, as usual, I can’t believe it.
Oshiolema is a gift. He has always been an old soul but he just grew so much in wisdom (and size) this year and I’m so stinkin’ proud to be his Mama. I always love to reflect back on their ages from the last birthday to this one and boy, what a year he had.

For his fourth birthday last year, O was coaching in San Antonio and that started a very strange part of the year. Oshiolema will tell you in a second that O is his best friend and favorite person on the planet so he just plain missed him for the first few months of the year. He also just had so much cooped up energy when it was just me since I’m not quite as good as O is at getting all those wiggles out every day so for a while there Lema had to battle to be obedient and self-controlled. Once I figured out the kid just needs to be outside or running or jumping for a good chunk of every day he returned back to his typical self which is hilarious, obedient, loving, observant, respectful, mature and so much fun.

He started going to what we call “away school” in the spring and it was like we unlocked another part of him. He lights up any room and watching him interact with his classmates and teachers is pure bliss. He is a wonderful friend since all his qualities cater to friendship so seamlessly, minus the energy-and-strength-of-ten-thousand-men part that can often lead to an injury or two. He is caring, selfless, loving and so aware of the needs of others. At four years old he often things about getting married and can’t wait to meet his wife.

O began teaching him to read this year which has been the sweetest and most amazing thing to watch flourish. I still homeschool him two days a week and I’m completely blown away by the way the Lord wired his brain. He has such a hunger and thirst for education…but he kind of wishes coloring didn’t exist.

He loves learning more about the Word, watching Digimon, reading and playing with all things Pokemon despite never having the cards or watching it, superheroes and ninjas, books, books and more books and his family means the world to him. He talks to my belly every single day and wakes up on Wednesdays saying “Mom! What’s the size of the baby today?!” He was made to be a big brother (hasn’t stopped asking me for 100 siblings despite my “no” every time) and he is everything we dreamed of and more in a son. Gah, I just love him so much.

This boy is so easy to celebrate. Happy Birthday, sweet boy.
Here are some of my favorite Lema photos from his 4th year of life.

love you to the moon, babe.