Happy Birthday, Zeke!

Zeke turned five this week and we celebrated with a whirlwind trip to Minnesota for a visit with the hand surgeon followed by a trip to Norfolk to meet up with D's family.  We are now almost 15 months post original surgery on the hand to toe transfer and everything looks fantastic.  We don't have to visit the hand doctor for a year which means we are just doing yearly follow ups now.  We also stayed with our friends, the Marquis' who live on the edge of Minneapolis.  So fun to visit with them.  And fun for Mom to since I usually end up chit chatting with my friend, Hilary, until the wee hours of the morning.  D's brother was back from Boise this last week so we did our return trip through Norfolk so we could visit with him, his wife, and D's dad and step mom.  Zeke's birthday happened to fall on the day after our doctor's appointment and the day of our Norfolk trip.   Zeke's birthday wishes were 1.  a Power Ranger toy (my kids are obsessed with this show...can you hear the excitement in my voice?  What's not to love about 200+ episodes featuring the same plot, bad acting, and lots of loud fighting noises?) 2.  To decorate his own birthday cake and 3.  A trip to the Lincoln Children's Zoo.  We've accomplished the first two.  I'm hoping the weather cools down so we can fit in #3.

Zeke was quick to point out yesterday that he really didn't feel any different, meaning that 4 feels no different than 5.  I think he was a smidge disappointed.  I am always in awe of people who can write a succinct little passage about their children that seems to sum up so well who they believe their child to be.  I am not good at that at all.  Often on their birthdays, I wish I had a bit better word picture to share that captures them in all their glory and today is no exception.

Zeke is such a character.  It seems like he endears himself to most people, kids and adults alike.  He is persistent and tenacious, unwilling to give up until he feels like he has accomplished what he set out to do.  He is smart as a whip and his ever growing vocabulary impresses me.  He is turning into more of a big brother, one who helps and looks after the smaller one.  With a wrinkle of his nose, his smile is infectious, often done with a twinkle in his eye.  Those rosebud lips that were one of the first things I noticed about him in China are still there, just a bit bigger, on a bit bigger kid.  I think all the time of how so many people would have underestimated him had he stayed in China and that somehow I lucked out on getting to enjoy his presence.

Grandpa Dave and Uncle Daniel playing ladderball while Kenson watched.
Kenson loved being in the thick of the hotly contested games.

Enjoying a bit more ladderball

Sprinler and ball fun with Uncle Daniel and Aunt Tiffany

More sprinklers, less ball

This may have been right before Daniel accidentally nailed Zeke in the head with the ball
which meant lots of tears from an overtired kid.

This was some type of wrestling match...we'll leave it at that.

Enjoying some goodies from Grandma and Grandpa

Grandma and Grandpa got a cake and so did Mom and Dad so Zeke got two cakes.
The shark cake definitely was perfect.
Great Uncle Larry and Great Aunt Sandy plus cousin Colby joined us for supper and cake.

Since Zeke wanted to decorate his own cake, cake #2 made it back home for that event.
(Saved Mom from having to back another cake...phew!)
Zeke wanted to decorate himself originally but he ended up asking Dad to do the artwork.
We ended up having our friend,s, Luke and Gabe, over as their mom and dad needed a sitter
so cake #2 was shared with friends.