Chase: 5 Year Old Update

We officially have a FIVE year old in our house!

Like every mother ever, I’m going to express my amazement that my first baby is five years old and growing up so darn fast. Time needs to sloooow down because we’re flying through such fun stuff right now. Chase is talkative, inquisitive, compassionate, kind, social, observant, curious and so incredibly active. From the moment he wakes up in the morning to the moment he goes to sleep at night, he’s moving non-stop and chattering up a storm. Life with 5-year-old Chase is anything but boring and always full of adventure and conversation.

Five is just so fun for a myriad of reasons but perhaps my favorite thing about this age for Chase so far is the ability to really talk with him. Sure most of our conversations seem to be about animals, insects, space or make believe stories but it’s fun to have a little buddy by my side all day every day who approaches life with so much enthusiasm and curiosity. (Also, his memory blows my mind!) I find myself answering no less than 5,000 questions a day from our curious boy (thank goodness for Google!) and love learning along with him as he grows and explores the world.

Chase’s energy and activity level are through the roof and we spend a LOT of time outside which is, without a doubt, his favorite place to be. Give this kid a net and let him hunt for lizards, little fish, tadpoles or butterflies and he’s in absolute heaven! We’ve dubbed him “Creature Man” because his interest in creatures is next level and he loves observing them, catching him, releasing them, feeding them and telling anyone who will listen all about them.

Though always a cautious child, we’ve seen Chase become increasingly comfortable stepping out of the box and trying new things. His swimming absolutely took off this summer and watching him do millions of cannonballs and dive down to the bottom of the pool 5+ feet deep to retrieve diving rings still blows my mind, considering the fact that at the beginning of last summer he didn’t even want to go under water. Now swimming is one of his favorite summertime activities and any chance we get, we take him to a pool or out on the lake because he loves swimming and splashing around so much!

Another thing Chase loves? Running! This kid wants to run and race everywhere and will truly run laps around our house just for fun. He adores soccer (especially with Dad!), riding his bike, fishing, flying through the house on his Plasma Car with Ryder on his heels and exploring new places.

As for some of the quieter activities Chase enjoys, he’s all about watching birds at our bird feeder (and shouting out the various kinds he can identify), helping me cook in the kitchen, listening to children’s podcasts during quiet time, playing games (favorites include Candy Land, Hoot Owl Hoot, Guess Who?, and card games — we have this 6 pack and he loves every single one), puzzles, taking pictures and reading books with Mom or Dad. Chase has always been very into stories and will sit down and listen to us read to him forever. (This sometimes feels like the only way we can get him to actually sit down and chill during the day! Phew!!) He loves his Magic Tree House series of chapter books and we read a LOT in our house.

Even as a baby Chase seemed to be a social little guy and that has absolutely continued as he’s grown up a bit. He becomes fast friends with other children and loves his core group of buddies so much. He’s outgoing and social and enjoys playing with any kid who wants to play with him. He also adored preschool (when the pandemic wasn’t in full effect) and seems to genuinely enjoy learning new things.

Big Brother Chase

Every single day I thank God that Chase and Ryder have each other. Their relationship is so wonderful to watch and they are just the best little buddies. Of course they have their daily brother battles that drive me crazy but for the most part, they have a great bond and make each other laugh harder than anyone else and play very well together. They’re physical little dudes and Chase takes his role as big brother seriously and seems to love teaching Ryder new things, showing him how to do certain activities or play various games and getting into mischief with his little sidekick. Ryan and I joke that Ryder may think his name is “Ryder Ryder Ryder Ryder” because Chase is always calling out to his little brother on repeat. But, then again, there’s a LOT of “Dace! Dace!” yelled back all day long as Ryder yells out to Chase, too.

They love having “brother private time” in Ryder’s crib in the morning and after Ryder’s nap. Most mornings, Chase goes in first to greet Ryder and I keep the monitor nearby until pleasant brother time is clearly over. A lot of singing and chattering happens during this time as well as some questionable wrestling but it’s clearly something they both love and enjoy every day.

Ryder loves copying everything Chase does and thankfully Chase is usually pretty patient and seems to enjoy having his brother at his side at all times. While I’ve always been so grateful for their relationship, this gratitude has reached new heights over the past few months during the pandemic when they’ve come to rely on each other so much for entertainment, fun and adventure.

Hearing them sing songs together and watching Ryder mimic the movements to “10 Little Monkeys” that Chase taught him melts my heart. They love cruising around together in Chase’s Power Wheels Jeep and I love listening in on their babble as they talk about everything from spotting wild mushrooms to what kind of cars are the fastest and pause to make sure I see the airplanes and helicopters they’ve scoped out in the sky.

As for how he’s handling the news that he’ll be a big brother to a new baby brother or sister in 6 short weeks, he’s ALL about it! He seems to enjoy talking about the baby, asking questions about the baby, feeling my belly and wondering whether or not the baby is a boy or a girl. He’s thinking this little one is a girl and last time he was spot-on when he adamantly predicted Ryder was going to be a boy so we will see!

Random Things to Remember

Favorite Foods: Apples, pizza, bananas, Larabars, watermelon, carrots, mac & cheese, ice cream with sprinkles, cake, green beans, Cheerios, burgers
Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite Book: Magic Tree House
Favorite Stuffed Animals: Lizardy, Snowball and Puppy
Favorite Song: “I’m Still Standing” and “We Will Rock You”
Favorite Movie: How to Train Your Dragon
Favorite Animal: Leopard
Favorite Friends: Claire, JJ, Tommy, Lilly, Lily, James, Matthew, Cooper
Wake Up Time/Bed Time: Chase typically wakes up around 7 a.m. and goes to bed around 7:30 p.m.

Likes

Ryder and silly brother fun
Searching for creatures of all shapes and sizes (especially lizards, bugs, slugs, worms, tadpoles and frogs)
Swimming
Fishing
Playing with any kind of transportation toys (HotWheels, airplanes, cars, trucks, etc.)
Books
Running
Imagination games
Soccer
Helping in the kitchen
Animals (especially ocean animals, bugs and reptiles)
His cousin, Callie (he’s obsessed with her)
Playing with his friends
Riding his bike
Driving in his PowerWheels Jeep

Dislikes

Taking a break from playing to sit down to eat
Doing arts and crafts for extended periods of time

Favorites

Outdoor Fun

Power Wheels Jeep (A gift from my MIL for his 4th birthday last year that is worth its weight in gold. We’ve taken it 3 miles without any battery issues and love that it has room for Ryder to ride along as well. It has two speeds and he loves this thing so much.)
Fishing Pole (Great intro to fishing pole that makes casting a breeze.)
Scooter
16” Bike
Creature Cage + Bug Nets
Pool Petz Floating Animals
Kiddie Pool
Sprinkler Splash Pad
Adventure Kidz Outdoor Exploration Kit

Indoor Activities

Magformers
Kinetic Sand
Plasma Car (also awesome for outdoor fun but we use ours exclusively inside)
KwikStix Solid Paint Pens
Sticker Activity Books
Kitchen Helper Cooking Stand (for cooking/baking help)
Water Beads
Stomp Rockets
LCD Writing Tablet
Nerf Guns
LeapFrog RockIt Twist Learning Game
Puzzles (this wooden pattern puzzle is a unique find he loves)

Books / Magazines

Magic Tree House Series (BEST chapter books for little ones! We’re re-reading the whole series yet again!)
Magic Tree House Merlin Missions Series
Sam and Dave Dig a Hole
Frog & Toad Collection
Pete the Cat Series
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus
The Gruffalo
Learning Library Books
Highlights High Five Magazine
National Geographic Kids Magazine

Shop 5 Year Old Favorites

Past Chase Updates