Six. Years. Old.

We celebrated Speed turning six today with a small party, a pinata, a new bike and his two favorite gifts: a spiderman lunchbox and a lanyard/keychain from a friend. The day was a bit chaotic since we celebrated Halloween AND a birthday on the same day, but we managed to eat our weight in junkfood and play as much as we could.

Six things to love about Speed:
6. He still has a vacuum obsession. This is proving to be very handy, especially as he gets older and does a pretty decent job.

5. Speed is a neat freak. He organizes his drawers regularly, will make your bed and arrange your stuffed animals if asked, and can fold a load of laundry as well as a grown up. He likes to be a helper and takes great pride in his chores.

4. Is a basketball pro. I'm not sure where he is learning all these tricks....afterschool care, maybe?...but he understands a free throw line, can do circles around the ball while dribbling, spin (sort of) the ball on his finger, and can shoot quite a few baskets on our Speed sized ball hoop. Occasionally, he will say he wants to play ball when he grows up.

3. Loves chapter books and bookmarks. The dude does not particularly enjoy sitting to read for very long, but the idea of "reading the next chapter" and marking that page with a bookmark is so appealing to him. We have numerous bookmarks made of paper, sticky notes, sticks, etc. floating around the house.

2. Is becoming much more social with his friends. We were trick or treating earlier this evening and ran into a classmate of his. They both shrieked each other's name and gave big hugs. I can't often get him to tell me things about school, but tonight made it obvious that he enjoys his classmates.

1. Is expecting to grow a beard and mustache this year. I jokingly said to him last night: "Tomorrow you will be six. I wonder if you will wake up with a mustache." He actually LOOKED IN THE MIRROR this morning to check. But tonight, as I was leaving his room, said "I might not wake up with a mustache or beard tomorrow. Maybe because I am not that old. Maybe I have to wait till I am 12."

Happy Birthday, Speed. Time to slow down on the growing up part, ok? I love you!