Freeland Family Adventures: 5 Years Old

Happy 5th birthday to our sweet, smart, silly, sensitive and sometimes even a little sassy, Duders!

Pump It Up 5th birthday party! Few handful of the finest friends.

Happy Birthday Duders!

There have been many changes in this one year journey from 4 to a BIG 5 year old. New favorite color went from pink to blue, beloved "baby" is now named "Teddy", lots of "why's?" shifted to "I know!", Dr. McStuffins show advanced to Floogals and YouTube science videos, chocolate to vanilla, wanting to be a Daddy when he grows up to a Weather Man, naps to no naps, Leap Frog to Pokemon Go hunts (Go Team Yellow, Boo Team Red SheShe!), small matchbox car races to a motorized tractor, sparkle crocs to black fast velcro shoes, and intimate family birthday dinner to a party of 20+ kids screaming at Pump it Up.

Some things remain the same. Max is still not a fan of green veggies (Mommy is not giving up!), safety of training wheels, making it through a whole movie at the theater (one scary part and he is DONE) or the love of snuggles (thank goodness!) and pancakes.

Once Baby now named Teddy. Only took a few days at the new school nap time for a name change.

Northern caught ice fishing

Big crappie in our backyard, Lake Sarah! Max prefers Daddy catch, he reels in and then Daddy handles fish. Think they call this the lazy fisherman ;)

T-Ball - Go #7 and Black Team! Thanks coach Randy and Daddy as backup coach!

Thanks Grandpa G and Cheryl! Max loves to do wheelies in 2nd gear and jam out to the radio.

Hand picked green sparkle crocs. Now he's into fast shoes.

Fast shoes, hat and sports gear is the new name of the game!

This year has been packed with parks, fishing, ice fishing, snowmobiling, T-Ball (Go Team Black), soccer (Go Green Aliens) and more fun. Plus loads of flights or road trips to California, Chicago, Atlanta, Key West, Wyoming, Wis Dells, and Michigan. We also had a couple scares with a broken arm and a new school at the Rockford Galaxy program. But Max met each challenge head on!

Life is good in the Florida Keys!

First day of Galaxy! Only a couple tummy butterflies, but mostly excitement! Next onto the Rockford Pre-school Launching Pad with teacher Ms. Michelle.

Captain Max with a ship of his own . . .

Cousin time over Christmas. Thanks Grandma & Papa for the annual Red Canyon Lodge trip!

Wis Dells. Thanks GeGe for the fun trip! Grateful for the chalice cup.

Finding shells in Huntington Beach, California.

Tough cookie! Broke his radius and ulna :(

Not even 24 hours after breaking his arm, Max still made it out trick-or-treating!

The highlight of our recent adventures is Scott coming off the road! It has been such a joy to spend everyday together as a family. Max can't get enough of his Daddy! I'm sure mowing the lawn, getting poked at 2 AM with "Daddy I'm scared", Max "helping" Daddy with his home repairs, or me nagging (only on occasions :) about the dirty dishes is an adjustment, but we wouldn't have it any other way!