Sementinha Amada Beloved Little Bean: June 2017

As a 5-year-old boy I weight 17.6 kg and measure 109 cm tall. I am a social butterfly, love hanging out with my friends, and know the name of every single person in my school. I have a very good memory, by the way. I am very articulate, and my communication is normally very sophisticated for a boy my age (mom and dad say I speak like an old man!). I use long, complex sentences, such as: "by the time I turn 10, I will have seen 10 million trucks", or "there is another Gabriel on the deck, which is actually a reflection of myself on the patio door", etc. I am a very determined, strong-willed little boy, who gets distracted very easily, and as such, every morning mom and I struggle to get going. hahahaha (Apparently I drive her crazy!). I love playing with my cars, trucks, dinosaurs, super heroes, bike, and my latest gift, my trampoline (I LOVE my trampoline!). I also love (unfortunately) my tablet, but I can only use a couple of hours at a time on the weekends, unless mom and dad need an e-sitter (aka electronic baby sitter. lol). I am also a very curious little boy, and enjoy learning about planets, machines, animals, sciences in general. The other day I asked how is urine produced and how it comes out. So off to an anatomy lesson we went!

As I grow older, I seem to have a great sense of humor, and can be quite funny at times. I am actually hilarious. However, I am very sensitive, and do not like being made fun of. So this gets complicated when I am being funny, and my parents laugh at me, and I get upset. I am not very cuddly, but I absolutely LOVE being carried and kissed by my parents.

A little check-list of my milestones:

From Webmed:

Most children this age begin to develop greater independence, self-control, and creativity. They are content to play with their toys for longer periods of time, are eager to try new things, and when they get frustrated, are better able to express their emotions.
Although children grow and develop at their own pace, your child will likely achieve most of the following developmental milestones before he or she turns 6 years old.

4- to 5-Year-Old Development: Language and Cognitive Milestones

Your curious and inquisitive child is better able to carry on a conversation. In addition, your child's vocabulary is growing -- as is his or her thought process. Not only is your child able to answer simple questions easily and logically, but he or she should be able to express feelings better.
Most children at this age enjoy singing, rhyming, and making up words. They are energetic, silly, and, at times, rowdy and obnoxious.
Other language and cognitive milestones your child may achieve in the coming year include being able to:

Speak clearly using more complex sentences: yes
Count ten or more objects: yes
Correctly name at least four colors and three shapes: yes
Recognize some letters and possibly write his or her name: yes (no problem here! I write very neatly now)
Better understand the concept of time and the order of daily activities, like breakfast in the morning, lunch in the afternoon, and dinner at night: yes
Have a greater attention span: yes
Follow two- to three-part commands. For example, "Put your book away, brush your teeth, and then get in bed.": yes
Recognize familiar word signs, such as "STOP": yes
Know his or her address and phone number, if taught: oops... have never been taught

4- to 5-Year-Old Development: Movement Milestones and Hand and Finger Skills

Children learn through play, and that is what your 4- to 5-year-old should be doing. At this age, your child should be running, hopping, throwing and kicking balls, climbing, and swinging with ease.
Other movement milestones and hand and finger skills your child may achieve in the coming year include being able to:

Stand on one foot for more than 9 seconds: hum... I have never tried that. I bet I can
Do a somersault and hop: yes
Walk up and down stairs without help: yes
Walk forward and backwards easily: yes
Peddle a tricycle: yes
Copy a triangle, circle, square, and other shapes: yes
Draw a person with a body: yes (my drawings have really improved lately)
Stack 10 or more blocks: yes
Use a fork and spoon: yes, though I prefer to eat with my hands
Dress and undress, brush teeth, and take care of other personal needs without much help: yes, when I want to.

4- to 5-Year-Old Development: Emotional and Social Development

Your self-centered child is now figuring out that it is not always about him or her. At this age, children are starting to understand about other people's feelings. Your 4- to 5-year-old should be better able to work through conflicts and control his or her emotions.

Emotional and social development milestones your child may achieve at this age include:

Enjoys playing with other children and pleasing his or her friends: yes, though I still feel like I am the centre of the universe. hahahah
Shares and takes turns, at least most of the time: hum... yes, but don't enjoy it.
Understands and obeys rules; however, your 4- to 5-year-old will still be demanding and uncooperative at times: yes, when I want. hahahaha
Is becoming more independent: yes, when it is convenient
Expresses anger verbally, rather than physically (most of the time): absolutely; I have been saying things like: this is not fair, how can you dare to this to me, etc.

This past Saturday, June 24, we celebrated my 5th birthday at the London Children's Museum.
I love exploring and engaging in adventures and, as such, we could not have a better theme for my 5th birthday party: dinasour! We started off by playing with a 5-ft inflatable t-rex, that was followed by a dinosaur program fromt eh museum. After playing for about an hour, we sang happy birthday to me with a volcano cake that had smoke coming out from the top. These photos may not express how excited all kids were with the smoking volcano. We sat down for pizza, and finished by enjoying a lovely afternoon exploring the museum. What a great party that was!

For my parents, this was one more year of joy, happiness and adventures. They think time goes by too fast, and always go back to think how little I was 5 years ago. in their own words: it is a mixture of feelings, as every year we say goodbye to our little boy, who always depended on us for everything, and say hello to a more mature, grown-up version of our angle, full of energy, happiness and curiosity. We wish you all happiness a little boy can have and the bless of God be with you always. Te amamos muito!!"

Enjoy the pictures, everyone!

Gabriel