Luke Turns Five!!!!

Here's Luke and Sam, showing off our four-layer sticky-sweet creation. Why is it that most of the grownups said "no thanks" to the cake? Hmmm.

I've also added a few shots from the birthday party at Joe's house: opening presents, enjoying dessert, reading "Captain Underpants" with Aunt Marie, preparing Gingerbread Manhattans after the kids had gone to bed.

Oh, and not to be forgotten, Zach's birthday present to Luke was learning to say, "Luuuuuuuuke!"

Luke is an amazing character. Sweet, funny, outgoing, talkative, curious, engaging ... and at times, a huge pain. Like yesterday, New Year's Day, when we flopped around the house most of the day and Luke was more annoying than he has been in a long time. But at some point he turned it around and became the sweetest, funniest boy on the planet. It was bedtime and I almost didn't want him to go to sleep because I was so entertained by his monologue on blood transfusions. Yeah, it's like that.

I love you, my five-year-old boy.