Aug
31
At five years old, he still loves to be hugged.
He hates balloons, loud noises, and unfamiliar foods. He’s not too sure about dogs.
He loves spaceships, rockets, motorcycles, and guns. He loves the idea of the Blue Angels but not so much the earsplitting scream of their presence. He loves Legos, and he can build anything.
He loves to argue. He loves to dawdle. He loves to push boundaries. He loves to be praised.
He loves his brother. He loves his family. He loves to run and jump and yell. He moves through the world with everything set to eleven. He is a wide-open flower tilted to catch as much sun as possible.
At five years old, he’s outgrown my ability to describe him. I paint a tiny corner of his ever-expanding picture and it’s never enough.
I can only tell you how much I love him. That’s an easy story to tell.
Five today. All the fingers of a hand, spread wide.
Comments
-
My product review site:
[
I have a 6 month old. that brought tears to my eyes. i can’t wait for all of that! Thanks for sharing.
Happy birthday, Riley, and happy birthing day, Linda!!
He’s heartbreakingly adorable and I can’t believe he’s FIVE already. Have I really been watching him grow up that long?
Happy Birthday Riley. And happy five year parentaversary Linda and JB.
I love this post, especially the last line.
Wonderful post…Happy Birthday Riley!
Happy Birthday Riley! He looks very suspicious of his first birthday cake, I love that expression he has. I cannot believe he is already 5, just like I can’t believe my girl turned 16. I know a trillion parents have said this before, but damn it goes fast!
I love the babyish little pictures! It looks like you pasted a Riley face on a Dylan body. Awwww.
WONDERFUL shots – happy birthday boy (& good job mama)!
My son will turn 1 the day after tomorrow, and the last line of this post made me tear up in my cube. This was wonderful.
Oh, teary here, too. Happy birthday, Riley! (Happy five years of motherhood, Linda!)
Oh, Happy birthday, Riley!! This was yet another beautiful post…
Awww, Good post. Happy B’day.
Happy Birthday Riley! What a joyful little guy.
That is one beautiful little boy, and family, and post.
Happy birthday, Riley!!
At five years old, he’s outgrown my ability to describe him. I paint a tiny corner of his ever-expanding picture and it’s never enough.
Sniff. That is beautiful. He is beautiful. Congratulations.
Happy 5th Birthday to your boy, such a wonderful post for an adorable boy.
On that note, my boy turned FIVE on Sunday!
Happy Birthday, Riley…and thanks, Linda, for sharing them all with us.
The baby photo – where he’s wrapped in the yellow towel? Unbearably cute. Congratulations!
Awwww! Love this post – Happy Birthday Riley!
So sweet, Happy Birthday Riley!
Beautiful post. Adorable kiddo! Happy birthday, Riley!!
Wow – you two look so much alike in that last picture! Happy Birthday Riley!
Happy Birthday Riley!
Happy Birthday Riley!
Mine is 5 times 3. How did that happen?
Once again you give me a glimpse into my future. (Mine is almost 4 and a half.) The amazingness of boys continues to be a revelation to me.
Happy Birthday Riley!!
Lovely. (Also, totally giggling over the photo of Riley looking suspiciously at his 1st birthday cake.)
Chills. You gave me chills. And for the first time in my life, I kind of want a boy instead a girl.
Love the sequence of birthday party pics. Grandma is there through each year and so’s little blond cousin. Riley looks like he’s catching up (height-wise) with cousin this year!
Did anyone notice Dog curled up in the background of birthday picture #1? Go Dog Go!
Happy Birthday Riley! Beautiful post – brought me to tears. Great pics. Good job, Mom and Dad. He’s a beautiful boy!
Happy 5th, little man. And to you and JB too.
Beautiful post and lovely pictures! I can’t recall how I stumbled upon your blog – not too long ago. I love your honesty and your sense of humor……I look forward to getting a peek into your life every morning with my coffee!
That 12-month picture. THE CHEEKS. They KILL me. Now my ovaries hurt…
Beautiful!! Happy Birthday, Riley!!!
happy birthday riley!
[btw, you look great. esp love the short blonde and bangs!]
Oh that was lovely and you made me cry. My husband and my nephew turned five just this past weekend. It went so fast.
I can’t believe I’ve been watching that little boy grow up for five years.
Happy birthday, Riley. And thanks, Linda, for sharing him with us.
I feel privileged to have ‘watched’ him grow. I can’t believe he’s 5. Happy birthday, Riley!
Happy 5th Riley! Give him big hugs and snuggles for me, I’m sure that’ll be difficult for you :)
Happy birthday, little man!
Aww! I forgot how brain-numbingly adorable he was when he was smaller! Happy 5th, Riley!
OMG. That last picture brought tears to my eyes. You look so much alike!
I’m glad I’m not the only one who had to make a snurfling noise to suck back in the tears on that last line.
Thanks for taking us along for the ride.
I found out about you on Twitter and from Mom-et-al. And I have to say, this is such a sweet post. It got me all mushy thinking about how fast time flies by. . .
Aw, happy birthday big guy! I can’t believe he’s five already! I get all sentimental on my kids’ birthdays, so I was happy to see the photo history here… sentimentality all around! He’s so big, Linda. And so little, too.
Oh my goodness, the boys look so much alike. I know (we get that all the time too with our girls). But, when you see the age progression pictures, it is really evident. Hope it was a very happy day. My 5 year old has kicked ass this year.
Your birthday posts have always made me cry. I still look forward to them every year. Congratulations on making it this far, some of us feel like we’ll NEVER make it to five!
Oh god.. I started reading you when I was 18 years old.. and RILEY’S ALREADY FIVE?! HE WAS JUST BORN! I WAS JUST IN COLLEGE..
I AM NOT 24.
Oh this is just too much.
Happy 5th Birthday Riley!! It goes so fast…