Zeke Is 6 Years Old!

My youngest baby is 6 years old today!!! 

I love that Zeke's birthday falls on the actual day of the week he was born 6 years ago. It was a Tuesday and the kids and I spent the morning at the last MOPS meeting for the year. I was completely unaware that Baby Z would be making his appearance later that night. I was still sure he'd hold out until his scheduled C-Section date of May 31st. Oh how I'm so glad he didn't! 

Last year was Zeke's dinosaur party and I'm actually sure he would have been totally happy if I had thrown him another dinosaur party for his 6th birthday. 

Pa's boy! He looks so little in this picture! 

This last year has been filled with tons of change/firsts for Zeke Russell. He graduated from MOPS last May. What I didn't know at the time was that I was actually graduating from MOPS as well. I'm really glad I didn't know that it was my last MOPS meeting or I would have been a sobbing mess! 

Zeke had his first dental procedure that required the laughing gas. Like all the other kids he did amazingly well! 

We had our last shopping trip with just him and I! I do miss my shopping buddy! 

He started riding a bike instead of just a scooter! In actuality he still prefers the scooter hands down. Daddy is going to work with him this summer in hopes that the training wheels can come off. 

We went berry picking for the very first time! 

Zeke loves to do anything the older kids do. Even if that means swimming in the pool when it's not really that warm yet. 

On the older kids last day of school we had fun at Seahurst park. 

Zeke could play at the park for hours!!! 

At his well check-up they did a hearing test! 

He did great! 

He was quite the little navigator at the zoo! 

He's just like Mommy....he loves to analyze maps! 

This kid is totally...

hands down....

100%....

Boy! Hahaha! 

With maybe a little bit of baby T-Rex thrown in for good measure! 

When Jack got into Pokemon. He had to join in too! 

Zeke likes to think he likes ice cream, but he just doesn't! It's the funniest thing. He's pretty good about finishing a Popsicle, but even those sometimes he's just done with. Very rarely does he finish a bowl of ice cream. 

He love stuffed animals just like Jack! 

He had a good time being a stinker when Pa and Uncle Lee took the boys to Yellowstone last August. 

Pa said he was playing his part as the youngest brother perfectly by sitting in-between Owen and Jack driving them nuts! 

He loves his dinosaur backpack that I got him for Kindergarten! 

He's usually up for a new adventure! 

I don't know if he'll remember watching the eclipse, but he did see it! 

He's a great traveler in the car if....you lay down the law that he can't ask any questions in regards to "how long", "when will we" or "are we almost"!!!

Zeke was so excited and nervous about Kindergarten camp! 

Zeke love arts! He's always coloring, drawing or wanting to paint something! 

I can't believe it's already been a year since we were just getting ready for school and now he's almost finished with kindergarten! 

My main concern about Zeke was his time management in the morning and I was completely correct in being concerned. He's so slow!!!! He's slow at getting dressed, he's slow eating breakfast, he's slow packing his lunch. He's just SLOW! In fact usually my alarm is going off for us to get to the bus stop and he doesn't even have his shoes on yet. I did start buying him breakfast bars to eat and that has helped, but only on the mornings he wants to eat them. 

Zeke's first Back to School Bash that actually meant something to him! 

All ready to meet his teacher! 

Yay for all the kids getting the pleasure of having Miss Davidson as their teacher!!! We feel so blessed! 

Show off his ninja skills! 

This makes me feel so old! I'll be almost 50 when he graduates!!! 

My baby's first official day of school! 

That shy finger! He's still either putting his finger in his mouth or chewing on his shirt sleeves. I do hope that habit ends soon! 

Zeke hadn't even been in school for a week and we were off to the beach! 

Any excuse to play and get messy! 

Zeke really came out of his shell in regards to swimming. It took him a bit, but then he was all for jumping in the pool! 

Howdy Partner!!! 

Decorating his bee for school! 

Turkey bowling at church! 

Eating chicken at the zoo! 

Riding on the carousel! 

Helping Mommy with my Christmas baking! 

Merry Christmas....here's a giant bucket of dinosaurs!!! He was in heaven! 

Happy New Years! 

It's all about the chicken! Only the chicken! Zeke has gotten a little bit better with his eating this last year. He knows if he doesn't finish his dinner he has to go to his room and he doesn't like to miss out on family time so that's been a good incentive for him to eat! 

When we went to the mountains I was completely floored that he actually wanted to go down the tubing hill. Such a thrill seeker! 

This boy LOVES Black Bear Diner! 

He's become quite the artist! 

He's a pretty cute rule breaker too! 

He does have a sweet tooth, but he's doesn't usually overdo it with candy! 

Recently we've moved Zeke into his own room. It was Ella's room and then it became the play room and now it's his room. Yes...it still has pink walls. We are planning on painting it soon, but it was one of those Daddy had finally had it moments and boom....now the playroom is Zeke's room. The sleeping situation has made all the difference in the world. Even though sometimes Zeke cries because he doesn't want to be alone I think even he knows that right now this is best for everyone! Maybe someday in the future he will share a room with a sibling, but not right now! 

While Owen has piano lesson we use that time to play outside on the play toy at church. 

Zeke you are such a sweet boy. Your sweet sing song voice just draws everyone to you. I always hear how sweet you are. People just love you! I can't believe you are 6 years old. Our family has been complete for 6 whole years! Time is going ridiculously fast that's for sure. I'm so happy that God timed everything so perfect down to the day. The day you started Kindergarten was the first day of my job outside the home. I love that I got to be a stay at home mom for so long. I love that I have a job where I can drop all you kids off at the bus and be home in time to pick you up. I love being your mom! 

You have really turned a corner in your growth socially. You are becoming more confident in yourself....still need to work on that chewing on your clothes things though. You love to share things in story form. You are always using sound effects and it usually takes a long time for the story to come out, but you are so cute while telling it! You laugh nervously when you know you are in trouble. It makes disciplining you very difficult. Having serious, stern talks with you are hard because you get the giggles and it makes it hard for Mama to keep my cool. Most of the time I just walk away and don't even try to talk with you in that moment. You are such a giggly boy in the right moments too. I love your laugh...it's the best! 

You have loved school! You come home every now and then and say you don't, but then you proceed to tell me about all the fun things you did that day. You have been wondering when summer will be so I know you are excited to have break. Just tonight you asked if you would be in 1st grade tomorrow because you'll be 6. You were quite disappointed that you wouldn't be. :) 

I love to hear you talk about God in your own way. You know all the stories, but what you always come back to is you wish that Adam and Eve hadn't sinned so you could pet a tiger. 

Zeke...I love you buddy! I love that you still can curl up in a ball and be completely in my lap. I love that you love to grab my face and give me smoochy kisses. I love that very rarely are you seen without a smile on your face. I love that you have such a tender heart even if that means that so many times you come to talk to us, we can't understand a word you are saying being of your high pitched whiny voice. I won't be too sad when that phase is over though. I love that when I go into wake you up you are still wrapped in your covers and when I pull them back you stretch and turn your head and breath in deep just like you did when you were a baby and I opened up your swaddle blanket. I love that when I pick you up and hold you in my arms that instead of wrapping your arms around me you tuck them in between us like you did when you were a baby. You just want to feel completely snuggled by Mommy. I hope you always love getting snuggled by Mommy because I know I'll always love getting snuggled by you! 

Happy Birthday my sweet baby boy!