It’s the twelfth day of Christmas and Archie’s 5th birthday. I can hear the sound of a dozen drummers with 24 sticks striking in unison. It’s time to march to the beat, maybe high-stepping a few laps around the living room because January birthdays are usually inside affairs. By the time you get to this point in the song, you’re a little winded.
I guess I could say by the time you get to your seventh child, you’re a little winded, too.
This isn’t a bad thing. It makes you appreciate the seats offered. When Archie offers a seat, I take it.
He’s sweet. He’s more Eeyore than Tigger. He’s brave but worried about starting kindergarten in the fall. He takes huge delight in learning new skills. When he wakes in the morning, the first thing he does is get dressed. He’s the only person in our family who does this. There isn’t a tech device he can’t figure out.
Archie makes me think, makes me ponder my words, makes me a more gentle mother. Twelve drummers don’t have to shatter your eardrums or rouse troops into battle. They can create a soft beat or roll the signal you’re about to be surprised. Suspense is heightened. What’s going to happen, drummers, standing in your row?
As his new year as a new 5-year-old starts, I hold his hand. Let’s find out.
Archie, carried by Ryley
Love this picture of our Birthday boy and his big brother.
This is so great. Happy (late) birthday Archie! I feel so honored to have met the new 5 year old even before he was five! I love your descriptions of your kids and their personalities.