5.5

Hanging with Woody on the sunny guest bed, 

and clearly delaying getting dressed.

Five and a half.  It always seems I'm thinking Ben is "and a half," months before he is and then the second half of the year passes in a flash.  A perfect day for Ben at 5.5 would include breakfast burritos and fruit followed by some shirtless and shoeless backyard play.  He loves to watch Sesame Street and Lazy Town, most any other PBS kids show and has not outgrown Chica or The Pajanimals.  Favorite lunches right now are turkey and cheese sandwiches or burritos.  A perfect afternoon would likely include a local playground tour followed by pizza for dinner.  Ben loves to describe the exact process of making said pizza and often makes food for his classmates and takes it around to them while they play at other centers.  
He loves playing basketball in the street and riding his bike with the neighbor kids.  Hosting any kind of gathering at our house that involves kids keeps Ben excited for days.  He LOVES time with his grandparents and the Lineberry family.  Special trips to the pool or home depot make weekend time with Dad extra fun.
Ben has been begging to join a soccer and basketball team but I question whether his attention span would allow for success.  It's something we will investigate.
We've had such nice weather that Ben is already talking about camping....all.the.time.  We could install a pizza oven and a bathroom in the backyard and throw a sleeping bag in the hammock and never see this child again, ;)
Ben is very excited for the return of "lunch day at school," and riding the bus next year.  He clearly has some favorite friends and enjoys school but the afternoon schedule has proven difficult.  Not only does Ben not want to leave whatever fun he's having at home, he always concerned with what I'll be doing while he's gone.  I always assure him I ONLY clean while he is gone and that if he stayed home, he have to clean for 3 hours straight.
So, the kid's pretty happy and healthy, and for that we are overwhelmingly grateful.  I see of future for him filled with time outdoors and that at 25 he will have perfected a technique for making pizza while camping.