Dear Baby,
Today we celebrated your fourth birthday. What a fun year we've had with you! This has been a year of many "firsts" for you: your first dentist visit, your first trip to the lease with Daddy, and your first time to sing in big church. You are a big boy...my baby is not a baby anymore!
You hear the words "I love you" a LOT from Daddy and me, but today seems like a good time to tell you WHY I love you so much. I love you because you sometimes still let me hold you, and when I pick you up, you lay your head on my shoulder and pat my back, as if I'm the one who needs to be comforted (sometimes I am). I love you because every night when we put you to bed, you refuse to be covered up, but when I come back later to check on you, you are lying flat on your back with the covers pulled up to your chin. I love you because you have an uncanny resemblance to Charlie Brown from Peanuts. I love you because you can spell your name and the words "family" and "boots." I love you because you love to play "Crack the Egg" on the trampoline with me, and it doesn't bother you at all that you, as the egg, are easily cracked. I love you because you have a little speech issue--R, L, S, and a few others letter sounds are problematic--but the way you talk is so adorable, I don't much care if it ever gets fixed. I love you because you are a computer whiz and can navigate your way through the internet to get to your games. I love you because you always hold my hand in the parking lot, because you like to help me clean the bathroom and sort the laundry, and because you ask me every single night where we are going the next day. I love you because of your crazy love affair with macaroni and cheese. Although slightly frustrating, your devotion to this food item is admirable and funny. I love you because you are easy-going and fun to be with, and because you make me feel like I'm doing a good job being your mommy.
I love you because you make me laugh. Oh, how you make me laugh! Just this morning, I was looking through some old pictures. You walked by, casually looked over my shoulder, and said, "I recognize that girl. She's my mom." Then you walked away.
This year we sent Little Middle off to kindergarten. I worried that you would be lonely and bored without your brothers around. It is, after all, the first time in your entire life that you've gotten one-on-one with me for any period of time. Turns out I worried needlessly. I have been reminded these past few months why I chose to be a stay-at-home mom in the first place--so I could have time like we've had and moments like those that we've shared. I wouldn't trade these sweet days with you for anything in the world!
Precious boy, your mommy loves you. You are a living, breathing testimony to the faithfulness and mercy of our God. Every day with you is a grand adventure and a great gift. Surely I am the most blessed mommy in the world, because you are mine.
Happy Birthday, Heart Boy.
Mommy
