If there's one thing I hope you look back and take away from all my words about you at this age, and all your ages past, let it be that you take in how much I love, like, love, like, love, like you and that I never had such fun and joy in my life til you came along. I treasure your birthday in a special way and the only reason this letter is late is that I couldn't figure out how to cram in all my thoughts toward you. I adore you with all I have and I am so proud of you in all your ways! I am so proud of your heart for the Lord. I am so proud of the wise choices you make and even the ones you don't make, but are trying to discipline yourself to make. I am so proud of how you stop yourself mid-speak/mid-action to verbalize the conviction you are feeling - to tell the truth, to be a peacemaker, to obey, to show restraint - and then how you follow through. I was so, so proud at how clearly you communicated a few months back that you were ready to make a decision to receive God's gift of salvation. I am so proud of your attention and understanding at such a tender, young age to spiritual matters and am alive to all the precious ways you are learning to flesh out your faith in God and his promises in Scripture.
I am so proud of how quickly you are memorizing scripture verses with the Seeds songs Daddy does with you every night. I am so proud of how proud you are of your accomplishments with learning them. Daddy remarks lately about how much you really respond to music and I just nod my head because I have been saying that for a couple years now. I am proud of how naturally music speaks to you.I am so proud of what a people person you are and how well you are received by others. My friends adore you and you've not met a single peer that you can't get along with. You always seem to be a welcome addition to any play date or game or gathering of your friends.
I am so proud of how you've kept up in school. And when we decide to start homeschooling (something you look forward to actually), I will be so proud to share in your academic growth and exploration. I will be so proud to share the teacher side of me with my own son. Who could ask for a better student than a girl's favorite boy in the whole wide world?!I am so proud of how entirely adorable you are. You are still so small for your age. You are 41 inches tall and weigh 42 pounds. You are in size 4T/5T clothes and size 10 shoes. You have socks that say 24-36 mos. on them that I recently threw away on principle alone, even though they still fit. You are a whole head shorter that most of your classmates and you are the littlest thing in your class, but I care not. Your short stature only means you stay little and adorable that much longer. You have such a beautiful face, an easy smile, gorgeous thick curly hair, and the sweetest of spirits to match. You are so pleasing, inside and out!
I am so proud of the initiative you've begun to show in a number of new things. You have asked us to stop reminding you of routine things in your day because you want to do them without being told. And you sure enough DO remember and get them done! Things like turn off your Wii when time is up, set out your books and prayer sticks to do at bedtime, brush your teeth, get dressed, water the plants, get the bath ready, help Anna with things, etc.
I am proud of what a good little gamer you are becoming. I like how quickly you pick up computer-type things and how hard you work to complete levels and earn rewards in them. It amuses me how your body and face squirm and contort when you are playing. You love your Star Wars games and Mario Kart and lately you can't get enough of basketball on Wii Sports Resort.
I am so proud of how strong you are learning to be. You've gotten noticeably faster in your running since t-ball started; you've even won some sprint races. You hit the ball so hard when Daddy pitches. You steal my heart when your lips goes stiff and quivery in an effort to keep the tears at bay. You impressed me with how you finally decided to be brave about putting your face in the water. You sing scripture to yourself to be brave when you've woken up from a nightmare. Also, you are becoming quite a competitor. You are alive to anything where score can be kept.
I am so proud to be your mom every morning at school drop off when you climb out of the car and stop to meet my eyes on the sidewalk, grin, and wave so eagerly - often more than once. I realize those days of open affection from you are probably numbered, so I am so proud to have them as long as I can.
You did, however, recently ask me to stop calling you Baby. It's been a hard habit to break, but I especially try to curb it when we are in public. I've taken to calling you Son a lot more lately, in response.
Bits and pieces of you at 6:
You wait on the tree swing every afternoon, watching down the street for Daddy to get home. You two are so very close.
You love your dog so much it hurts almost. He is the first thing you do when you get up in the morning or get home at any time of the day. He puts such a smile on your face no matter what mood you are in!
You always warn me when I need to fast forward in your movies to skip over the bad words (stupid/shut up).
You don't like to play at play areas that are super crowded or have wild, noisy children there. You get that from me. I don't enjoy chaos either.
You are almost, almost, almost nighttime potty trained. We thought you were there this month, but it was not so ... but surely this summer will get you there! You just recently started using a nighttime alarm to wake you up if you start to wet. You are, as you have always been, SUCH a hard sleeper.
You are all about Lego Ninjago! Although you recently discovered a rival, Beyblades.
Your
love
language
is
tickles. :}
Your teacher said you are too timid at times during group instruction. I see that in you, too. But I think it's mostly because you so want to get it right and please everyone.
You haven't lost a tooth yet. Daddy guesses you won't for another year, but it's on your radar for sure because so many of your friends have lost some of theirs.
You do not like loud sounds so you end up plugging your ears a lot - at fountains, airplanes, cheering crowds, mowers, fireworks, emergency vehicles, etc.
You are so good at making sound effects when you play independently - sounds for flying, falling, exploding, crashing, shooting, etc.
You have this entirely precious way of moving your hands when you are trying to explain something lengthy or confusing to me. I so wish I knew how to describe it. I don't. There aren't words to describe the motion well or to tell how earnest and serious your face is while you communicate that way, but it is burned in my brain as the cutest thing you ever do and Daddy completely agrees with me.
Your favorite way to make Anna cry is to act as if you are racing in whatever you two are doing; she invariably screams and cries out, "It's not a race! It's not a race, No-wah!" Then I get on to to her for not controlling herself and I get on to you for being a trouble-maker instead of a peace-maker.
You are the best little guy to cook for - always so thankful for your dinner and often paying me compliments on the smell while I cook and telling me how good it is going to be.
You are, and always have been, such a good eater!
You like your baths HOT, HOT, HOT - just like your daddy.
In a social setting, you are more of a follower.
You don't ever tell me a thing about your day at school. Even when I ask for specifics, you struggle to come up with an answer. All boy.
You must play so hard at recess, because you literally wear the playground home, you are so dirty most days!
You are still severely allergic to peanuts. We worried you had a milk allergy again, but that was not the case. You do, however, need lactose-free milk now.
You still hold your pencil so, so wrong and I fear it's too late for any correction to stick.
You are right-handed, but you throw a frisbee with your left hand.
You LOVE to laugh and you do it often. You recently discovered America's Funniest Home Videos and you thought it was the funniest thing you have ever seen! Watching how hard you laughed, in turn, was the funniest thing I have ever seen. :) You kept pointing at the screen and rolling backwards while you cackled. It was hysterical!
You are so good with babies! Probably because you are so gentle.
You bedtime routine goes like this every night: I do yours and Anna's bath, but I only have to wash your hair. You do most of your own bathing. You dress yourself and do your lotion. You take your allergy medicine. Daddy does an involved hour almost of books, songs, scripture, letter practice, and praying with you both. He loves that precious time with y'all each night and wishes he could make it longer. Daddy spends extra time with you after putting Anna down. You sleep with no pillow still, opting to use Calvin as your pillow. You also still sleep with your bunny who is so, so, so old and worn now. You fall asleep so quickly and you fall asleep hard. It is a trial to wake you up in the night if we ever have to.
Precious things you've said:
I am proud of what a good little gamer you are becoming. I like how quickly you pick up computer-type things and how hard you work to complete levels and earn rewards in them. It amuses me how your body and face squirm and contort when you are playing. You love your Star Wars games and Mario Kart and lately you can't get enough of basketball on Wii Sports Resort.
I am so proud of how strong you are learning to be. You've gotten noticeably faster in your running since t-ball started; you've even won some sprint races. You hit the ball so hard when Daddy pitches. You steal my heart when your lips goes stiff and quivery in an effort to keep the tears at bay. You impressed me with how you finally decided to be brave about putting your face in the water. You sing scripture to yourself to be brave when you've woken up from a nightmare. Also, you are becoming quite a competitor. You are alive to anything where score can be kept.I am so proud to be your mom every morning at school drop off when you climb out of the car and stop to meet my eyes on the sidewalk, grin, and wave so eagerly - often more than once. I realize those days of open affection from you are probably numbered, so I am so proud to have them as long as I can.
You did, however, recently ask me to stop calling you Baby. It's been a hard habit to break, but I especially try to curb it when we are in public. I've taken to calling you Son a lot more lately, in response.
Bits and pieces of you at 6:
You wait on the tree swing every afternoon, watching down the street for Daddy to get home. You two are so very close.
You always warn me when I need to fast forward in your movies to skip over the bad words (stupid/shut up).
You don't like to play at play areas that are super crowded or have wild, noisy children there. You get that from me. I don't enjoy chaos either.
You are almost, almost, almost nighttime potty trained. We thought you were there this month, but it was not so ... but surely this summer will get you there! You just recently started using a nighttime alarm to wake you up if you start to wet. You are, as you have always been, SUCH a hard sleeper.
You are all about Lego Ninjago! Although you recently discovered a rival, Beyblades.
Your
love
language
is
tickles. :}
Your teacher said you are too timid at times during group instruction. I see that in you, too. But I think it's mostly because you so want to get it right and please everyone.
You haven't lost a tooth yet. Daddy guesses you won't for another year, but it's on your radar for sure because so many of your friends have lost some of theirs.
You do not like loud sounds so you end up plugging your ears a lot - at fountains, airplanes, cheering crowds, mowers, fireworks, emergency vehicles, etc.You are so good at making sound effects when you play independently - sounds for flying, falling, exploding, crashing, shooting, etc.
You have this entirely precious way of moving your hands when you are trying to explain something lengthy or confusing to me. I so wish I knew how to describe it. I don't. There aren't words to describe the motion well or to tell how earnest and serious your face is while you communicate that way, but it is burned in my brain as the cutest thing you ever do and Daddy completely agrees with me.
Your favorite way to make Anna cry is to act as if you are racing in whatever you two are doing; she invariably screams and cries out, "It's not a race! It's not a race, No-wah!" Then I get on to to her for not controlling herself and I get on to you for being a trouble-maker instead of a peace-maker.
You are the best little guy to cook for - always so thankful for your dinner and often paying me compliments on the smell while I cook and telling me how good it is going to be.
You are, and always have been, such a good eater!You like your baths HOT, HOT, HOT - just like your daddy.
In a social setting, you are more of a follower.
You don't ever tell me a thing about your day at school. Even when I ask for specifics, you struggle to come up with an answer. All boy.
You must play so hard at recess, because you literally wear the playground home, you are so dirty most days!
You are still severely allergic to peanuts. We worried you had a milk allergy again, but that was not the case. You do, however, need lactose-free milk now.
You still hold your pencil so, so wrong and I fear it's too late for any correction to stick.You are right-handed, but you throw a frisbee with your left hand.
You LOVE to laugh and you do it often. You recently discovered America's Funniest Home Videos and you thought it was the funniest thing you have ever seen! Watching how hard you laughed, in turn, was the funniest thing I have ever seen. :) You kept pointing at the screen and rolling backwards while you cackled. It was hysterical!
You are so good with babies! Probably because you are so gentle.
You bedtime routine goes like this every night: I do yours and Anna's bath, but I only have to wash your hair. You do most of your own bathing. You dress yourself and do your lotion. You take your allergy medicine. Daddy does an involved hour almost of books, songs, scripture, letter practice, and praying with you both. He loves that precious time with y'all each night and wishes he could make it longer. Daddy spends extra time with you after putting Anna down. You sleep with no pillow still, opting to use Calvin as your pillow. You also still sleep with your bunny who is so, so, so old and worn now. You fall asleep so quickly and you fall asleep hard. It is a trial to wake you up in the night if we ever have to.
Precious things you've said:
- Mispronunciations: Most l, th, and r sounds still, Tenchapur (temperature), Orwee (early), Carrot Ride (Carriage Ride), Ormament (ornament), Tooshie Row (tootsie roll) , wete (delete), sgebby (spaghetti), emmyems (m&ms), gummote (remote), What how? (how), Ha-way-you-ya (hallelujah), Rich crackers (Ritz crackers)
- When Anna wore a fuzzy hood, you said, "Hey mommy, guess what Anna wooks wike? A snowy Han Solo!"
- When it was raining one day after school, you worried about the birds eating worms that were flooded/stranded in the street and you exclaimed, "I gotta hurry and get my rest so I can save the worms!"
- When I put whipped cream all over your shortcake, you said, "Dat wooks wike God." When I asked why, you said it was all white like a cloud. Because God is like a cloud. (Duh, Mom.)
- You will hint when you want something instead of just asking outright. For example, "Some juice sure would be good right now." Or you'll whisper something to yourself, but loudly enough for me to hear, "I can't ask for a treat because it's almost dinner, but I'm so hungry!"
- When I was opening a gift from Memaw, you asked, "Can I help you open it? Because I love you."
- After picking a scab on your face in bed one night, you got up alarmed, telling Daddy that your skin was falling apart.
- You've seen Daddy throw so many of Chewie's dead moles and birds over the fence that you asked, "Mommy, when Chewie dies are we going to throw HIM over the fence?" I assured you we would not. I said we could take him to the vet or bury him in the yard. You decided you would like to bury him very, very close to the house. Then you wanted to know if the worms would get to him. Oy.
You are such a good boy, such a blessing. I wish I could go back and relive our last 6 years with you. As you graduate kindergarten tomorrow, I'll try not to get weepy. But I just can't believe your littlest days are so far behind us now. And while I can't wait to see what kind of man you are growing to become, I totally can wait. I don't want to hurry up time at all. Stay my sweet boy as long as you can, Noah Brown. You make me and your daddy so impossibly proud. Happy, happy birthday to you ... again!
All my love to you,
Mommy
<3
ReplyDeleteLoved. This. Letter.
ReplyDeleteA lot.