To Noah, Love Daddy

Dear Noah,

Happy 5th Birthday to you, my strong and brave Jedi!  What a world of difference one year can make for a little boy.  Last year you were a quiet observant laid-back boy and now you are a rambunctious and extremely talkative soon-to-be kindergartner.   Your mother and I have enjoyed every moment of this preschool year watching you explode in ability and excitement for all the things that pique your interest. 

Your best friend is definitely Anna.  You enjoy playing with her, helping her, getting her to talk and respond to you, and taking care of her.  You hold her hand in the car when she is upset and talk softly to her when she needs it.  You also seem to enjoy antagonizing her and for that you often get sent to your room or time out. 

Your other best friend is a recent addition to our family.  Chewie, our dachshund, came to our home last fall and from day one was a great playmate for you.  You roughhouse with him every chance you get and he is the first one you look for each morning when you come downstairs.   You do tend to play too rough with him sometimes though and he makes you cry by getting rough right back.

You have been in preschool this past year at HCA with the wonderful Mrs. Cindy.  You love school and have several great playmates in your class.  The most magical part of this year happened recently when you began decoding short words.  Your mother shakes her head in amazement every time you sound out the flashcards she created for you.   I grin when you talk about Bible stories you’ve learned at school and you tell me all about them when we read your Bible at bedtime.  You’ve learned many songs about Jesus and have taught them to us so that we can sing along with you.  I take you to school as often as I can and we play “I spy” or “I’m thinking of…” for part of the way to school and you talk the rest of the way, even while I’m trying to listen to the radio.  When you are not talking I hear you humming the Star Wars theme, the good guy and bad guy songs. 

Batman, army men, Star Wars and Legos dominate your playtime when we are indoors.  Your favorite pastime is the Lego Star Wars game on the xbox and you would play for hours each day if we let you.  With light sabers and power wheels, a big wheel and balls, a pedal-less bike and a remote control jeep, rocket balloons and bubble blower, sand tables and playground extraordinaire we never run out of things to play with outside.  Now that the 4-wheeler is back up and running I am sure you will just never bother to learn to ride an actual bike.

At the end of a long play-filled day I enjoy our evenings of quiet play, picking books to read, favorite shows that we’ve watched for the 27^th time, bath time with bubbles and colored foam soap “cream cones” and finally bed time.  I let you pick out a book to read and then the next story in your Bible.  You’ve just started helping me read words in your books and we are both so proud when you sound them out. We talk about what happened that day and if there is anyone you want to pray for.  You surprise me with who you think about and ask God to help.

Your mother and I are so proud of the little boy that you have become and can’t wait to see what this next year brings. 

 I love you, Noah.

Daddy