Hank's 5 Year Old Update

I am writing this a bit late, but I think most of the things that are true of Hank right now were true of hank a few months ago!

Hank at 5 years old is: active, spunky, funny, naughty, brave, helpful, and overall a mixed bag... he is truly 100% sugar and 100% spice! He can be my most joyful kid, but he can also be the biggest whiner. He can be the most daring kid, but he can also be the most resistant to trying new things. He can be the sweet, snuggly kid or he can be the mad kid that screams and shouts about not getting his way. He definitely keeps me on my toes!

I mean... just look at all these faces!

This past year, Hank has really grown up and has started to become a big help around the house. He gets dressed on his own, can help set the table, and as of recently has started doing a few chores (make bed, take out the trash, feed the dog, etc) a day to earn allowance ($1) at the end of the week. I've loved watching him grow and develop a sense of responsibility!

He's also started to really take off with learning. He is reading now - mostly BOB books and Hooked on phonics books, but he's actually doing it! And I'm so proud. Watching your kid start to put sounds together to form words, and words together to form sentences is one of the coolest things. He's still learning, but I'm so excited for what a great start he'll have before entering Kindergarten. He also has started showing more interest in sitting down to do homework or crafty type activities. For a long time Hank had no interest in sitting still to write/draw but his interest level definitely grew a ton this past year.

He is starting to like school more and more. I still think if I kept him home every day he would be as happy as could be, but I also know that school is teaching him a lot and is good practice for next year when he goes to kindergarten full day, so we keep at it! Overall he is alway happy when I drop him off and when I pick him up so I think school has really started to grow on him. His best friend at school this year is Mason and he's had a couple playdates with him already this year. It's been so fun to see Hank develop some of his own friends - not just Lucy's friends or my friends but his very own!

Hank's favorite toys to play with are legos, hotwheels, the bounce house, trampoline, his bike, and nerf guns. He's a pretty active kid and definitely loves to be outside. No matter the weather, Hank will usually play outside for at least an hour most days of the week. He'll either spend his quiet time out there or play with one of the girls depending on the time of the day. I love that he can explore and entertain himself and am often mesmerized watching him play in our back yard. He's also taken a big interest in books this year and while he definitely doesn't sit and read as much as Lucy, he will sit and look at books way more than he used to. I love that he is growing in his love for books!

Of course he loves the TV, iPad, and Wii - but I try to limit all of these to less than 1 hour per day (on average... sometimes it's more, sometimes it's less!) He likes to watch Jessie, Power Rangers, and Legos... his favorite game on the Wii is Mario Kart... and his favorite games on the iPad are any car games (Zombie strike, hill climber, monster smash)

So far Hank has tried soccer, basketball and gymnastics and he seems to have the most affinity for basketball. I think he'd play anything we signed him up for and was eager to participate, but during down time, basketball is the sport that he picks up and plays the most. Of course I think he actually is the best at gymnastics, but he didn't love gymnastics that much because he wasn't allowed to do all of the crazy stunt moves he does at home. He is definitely the most agile of all the kids - the kid can flip and do cartwheels like it's his job and he is a pro at the monkey bars.... I'm still contemplating getting him back in gymnastics, but I know if push comes to shove Ben will want him to invest his time in a ball sport, so it probably won't ever take off.

We still have to keep Hank's thumb painted constantly. If the paint wears off (which happens about every 1-2 weeks) he will go right back to sucking his thumb, but I've tried to stay pretty proactive about keeping it painted. He doesn't seem to mind too much as long as I bribe him with a little candy. Overall Hank is a good sleeper and eater. He usually sleeps between 8:30pm-7:15/8am (its a wide range in the morning, but he is typically one of my first kids up). And he eats just about everything I give him! He's definitely a bit of grazer, he'd eat all day long if I'd let him, but if I'm cognisent of the times he's eating, he'll usually eat well at each meal.

Time-outs continue to be the best punishment for Hank and he continues to need them a few times a week. His biggest offenses are usually whining, crossing the line (playing with someone and then taking things too far), or having a melt down. He's definitely getting better and better, but I swear this kid will have an awesome month with little time outs followed by a terrible month where he is in time out every day. I know most of it is just a phase though so I'm not too worried about him or his behavior.

We love you so much Hank! You are an amazing kid and we can't wait to see all God has in store for your life. We know you are going to do great things.

Wehner Fam

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Hank's 5 Year Old Update

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