The Miranda Family: Cole Matthew is 5!

Five wears stickers on his shirt, which is getting to be too small and bares a wee bit of belly, Spider-Man light-up sneakers, and a face half-painted to look like Iron Man. Five has swagger to spare. Five is a whole hand. It is no longer a baby, not even a toddler or a preschooler. Five is a big deal. After the slow, rickety, listen-to-every-click-of-the-wheels climb to the top of the rollercoaster that is the first four years of parenting, five lets you pause for just a moment at the apex. In the brief stillness, you suck your breath in as you look back on the journey that brought you there, anticipating the free fall and the loop-de-loops beneath you that will carry you toward adolescence and teenagerland and the great beyond. Five is both an end and a beginning. Five is silly. Five is savvy. Five is blessedly unselfconscious and bold. Five is tall enough to ride bigger rides, to jump off high dives, to swim from end to end of the pool. Five can take on the monkey bars and zip lines successfully with nary a glimpse of fear. Five still holds your hands with small but sure fingers in crosswalks, still wants to snuggle at night, and still tells you he loves you without hesitation. Five can be an exasperating master at the art of whining and cajoling, but he also listens to reason a little bit more than his 3-year-old brethren. Five wears his heart on his sleeve. Five has an uninhibited belly laugh that is positively infectious.This is five. Five is love and magic and independence and wonder and innocence. Hold on tight to this moment before the rollercoaster tips over the edge and takes you with it. Five does not last, but it is impossible to forget.
~"This is Childhood: Five" Allison Tate, Huffington Post

At five, Cole is something else. His smile melts my heart and I pray he never outgrows his love of snuggling. He has a passion for sports, Star Wars and video games (*sigh*). Learning to navigate this big boy world is both exciting and sometimes a little overwhelming. He is very much our middle child . . . constantly fighting to have his voice heard above the rest of the chaos. Cole has a tender heart and feels things quite deeply, but can also hold his own with the big boys and even Darth Vadar at his Star Wars inspired 5th birthday party at the Little Gym.

Ready for Jedi training!

Cole chose his favorite friends and some of their siblings to join him for Jedi training. *special thanks to Lala, best aunt ever, for helping plan such a cool party!