To my 22 month old!

We just called your great grandma, whom you met on our recent trip to Nashville.  Your dad and I think you have the cutest "bye-bye".  It's even cuter when you add, "luh-you gamma, bye-bye".  She enjoyed it, too.

You have grown much more attached to your daddy; but, you already understand that he has to leave sometimes to go to work (thankfully, we only had a few tearful goodbyes, mostly because you were sleeping past the time daddy left for work).

When you hear a truck or a motorcycle, you tell us.  When you see a jeep, truck or motorcycle, you tell us.  "Ruck", "cycle", "jeep".  Trains are "choo choos".

You have started saying, "I do"...for just about everything.  You definitely love pressing buttons for all the automatic machines we have (dishwasher, coffeemaker, blender, food processor, washing machine).  You also like to help...even helping me unload the dishwasher or helping us clear the table when your brothers don't listen.  You know what needs to be done and you go and do it.  That is a beautiful thing!  You even help us pull weeds!

Yesterday, your daddy asked you where your brothers were and you told him, "playing ow-side".  Good job on the phrases, buddy.  I pray to cherish these things for you are growing so fast!

You love hide and seek.  You know to be quiet and you know to be out of sight.  Where do you learn these things?  Your daddy said you hid behind the towels hanging in the bathroom when he said, "Where are you?".

When we went to our local jazz festival this weekend, you were putting on a show (dancing and climbing and jumping and being cute) for everyone around us.

You like to pretend you are sleeping because you know it makes us laugh.  Daddy says you lie down on the bed with your bottom in the air and close your eyes.  Sometimes you fake snore.  Then, you pop up and want daddy to notice and tickle you.  You do this over and over again.

We went strawberry picking recently and you loved eating sun-ripened strawberries.  Luckily, your brothers were great at picking this time.  So, they helped me quite a lot so that we could keep up with how many you ate!

Your brother is teaching you numbers.  You repeat them; but, we are not sure if you know what they mean yet.

You love to ride in the stroller and on your tricycle (that we push...that all of your brothers used...and thanks to a hand-me-down from a friend).  You somehow get your brothers to take you out whenever you are jonesing to go!  You also love pushing your "mawmower (lawnmower)".

When we leave the house and your rain boots are in sight, you HAVE to wear them. 

You are teething up a storm the past couple of months--2 molars so far!  It is wonderful and amazing to watch you grow and learn and laugh.

I pray for all the blessings God gives us through you, dear son.  We all love you so.

10 months

To my little Plum...at ten months.

You just got over having the highest fever (103.5) this past weekend...but you didn't complain. You just wanted to be held and snuggle and nurse.

You dance anytime you hear music.

You love meat! I will put fruit and veggies and meat in front of you and you always go for the meat first.

You like to rip up paper into teeny tiny pieces and then put those pieces in your mouth.

You are always doing something to look for a reaction. You look to me and then look to dada and look to me again. "Was that funny?" are the words I imagine you're thinking. Yes. Stella. You're cute and so funny.

You look at people with such an intensity...like you're looking right into their soul, their very being. Always observing others while snuggled next to mama.

To my dear 7 year old son

You just turned 7.  Just like that. 7.  Crazy.  Awesome.  Just like you.

You seem to be growing so fast.  It seems like you were just 3.  For real. 

You love to play.  You also love to be active.  Put those two things together and add some army guys or Star Wars guys or superheroes or Nerf guns (I do not like using the word, "gun", so we still mostly call them "shooters") and you are all set!  Like for your birthday party...we made it an "air force training" theme.  Your dad and I had a blast entertaining the friends you invited.  We hope you did also.  We love you so.

Whenever we make a few minutes in the day to play, you want to play our version of dodgeball inside (little soft ball, points scored for hitting and getting missed, first one to 20 wins).  You love to win, too.  You hate to lose.  So, you figured out you were good at throwing and good at dodging and boy, are you-and so you want to play--all. the. time.  I can't think of a time you have lost our version of dodgeball.

On this Memorial Day weekend, we started up a new game of Monopoly and you are doing great!  You have come a long way understanding money and counting the dice.  And, you even got a "go directly to jail" card and handled it very well.  I am so proud of you.  I thought of checking you for a fever (lol); but, I did not want to hurt your feelings.

I walk a fine line in trying to make you laugh and trying not to make you cry.  You, my dear, are wonderful and feel things very deeply.  Daddy says you have "big feelings".  This is not a bad thing.  The best thing is, I always know how you feel.  You tell me when I hurt your feelings.  You tell me when someone else does.  You tell me.  I am grateful.  I will pray you keep sharing your feelings with me and that God gives me the wisdom to know what to do with them. 

I will also pray that you have the patience to listen to others.  Sometimes, I am saying something good that you assumed would be bad and you have started caterwauling and did not even hear what I said.  I need patience, too, buddy.  Let's pray for patience for each other.  And practice it.  A lot.

This was a big year for you in school.  You learned how to read!  It's been a rough road, this reading thing.  Numbers you get.  Words are so hard for you.  But, you are doing it.  The world has come to life in words around you now.  It's exciting to witness.

You still love to draw in your notebooks.  And, then, you like to tell us a story of what you drew.  Your imagination is so big.  You love to draw good guys vs. bad guys still.  You are getting more detailed in your drawings; but, they still don't take you any time.  You are a quick sketcher...just like I learned from one of my art professors in college.  You can sketch out your picture in no time...and they look really good-exactly what you intended.

Just like your big brother, you have no qualms about speaking in front of a group.  You have done it at church and at our first poetry reading a couple of months ago.  That takes so much courage!  You did great!

I love you my dear, sweet son.  I look forward to the coming year because, the best is yet to come.