Asher turned five years old yesterday. It's seriously hard for me to comprehend that I have a 5-year-old! I made cupcakes for Asher to take to school with him, and I was grateful that I was able to do that without trying to figure out the logistics with a newborn or being in the hospital. When he came home, Eric had gotten off work a little early, so we opened presents, and then we went out to dinner at his choice of In N Out Burger, followed by playing games at Chuck E. Cheese. I'd say that all in all, it was a perfect day for him, and I'm glad he got to spend it exactly how he wanted to (although he would have preferred skipping the school part!).
We had his party a couple weeks ago, and that was another great day for him.
He had requested a basketball-themed party, which I was happy to oblige. I even attempted my first ever fully decorated cake! It was totally made possible by having figurines to put on top that really salvaged my decorating (or lack thereof) abilities. Asher loved it, so that was all that mattered!
I feel like the age of 5 is going to be a good one for us. I'm not going to lie, ages 3 and 4 were pretty darn challenging around here. Asher has such an intense personality with so many facets that make him both so incredibly fun to be around but also equally exasperating! We have definitely struggled for a long time with Asher being gentle with his sister, and I'm happy to say that I think over the past few months, we've seen a change overall. Still not perfect and a work in progress, but I do think it's heading in the right direction. Asher can also be the most amazing big brother and so super sweet and caring toward Ava, and she absolutely adores him right back, so I really do love to watch their relationship grow with each year. I love those two together so much!
Asher just finished up a second season of soccer today, and after he takes a break for a couple of months, he is already counting on doing basketball next. The biggest change over the past year has definitely been Asher blossoming into a sports guy. He LOVES to play and watch just about all sports. He's such a chip off the old block (of Eric and clearly not me!). He has thoroughly enjoyed every practice and game, and it has become clear that he will be playing sports regularly from now on, at least for a while. Even though it can be time-consuming and demanding, it is really good for him in terms of gaining skills and burning off some energy, so I'm fine with that.
Asher is doing great in Kindergarten so far, and I feel so good about our decision to put him in this year. He was definitely ready, even though it's been a big adjustment for him. It's a long day, but he is learning a lot and having fun, and I just love his teacher like crazy, so it's been a good thing. We miss him during the day, but it makes our time together that much more special.
He is so smart and understands things in a way that constantly surprises me. He soaks up knowledge like a sponge, and I can't wait to see how much he learns this year.
A challenge for me is to always try to approach things in a way that will help Asher to be successful rather than a battle. For example, we were having trouble when school started to get everything done in the morning before we get out the door on time. And I was feeling overwhelmed at the thought of doing this with a baby soon, too. So, I decided to come up with a checklist and tape it on the door, and Asher knows at what time to start it, and he can go right down the list (I also included pictures) and take care of what he needs to do, such as going potty, getting socks/shoes on, etc. Asher likes order and accomplishing tasks, so this was a great solution for us, and it has really helped our morning routine to be smoother - and I feel like I am able to be more patient, too.
Age 5 will be the year will Asher becomes a big brother to two siblings and gains a little brother in the process. I can't wait to see all the changes that will be coming along, and even if things get rough for him as he adapts to everything, I have faith he can get through it and be all the better for it.
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