Happy 11th Birthday Will!

Happy 11th Birthday Will! Where has the time gone? Where is the little boy that at 2 years-old complimented me on my belt and at 4 years-old cried with me about my Granny’s passing? Where is that little boy? That little boy is gone and in his place is a too rapidly growing, too quickly maturing 11 year-old. But you know what? You are an awesome 11 year-old! I miss that little boy but I love the sweet, big boy that you have become. You have always been good to your brothers and even though you are getting bigger and needing more space, you have not changed. Sure, you give them a bit of attitude from time to time but I get that. They all think you hung the moon so they follow you and invade your space quite a bit. But for the most part, you are kind and gracious to share that space with all of them. You are fully immersed in 5th grade now and this year seems to be going smoother for you than the last one. You are no longer the “new kid” and you have found your circle of close friends. Unfortunately, you are more interested in your friends than your school work and that is reflected in the work you bring home. You are a super smart kiddo. Your teachers and your parents know this. We wish you did. You are playing soccer but it isn’t really your thing. You are participating because we made you. Right now, sports just aren’t what interest you. We keep encouraging a variety of activities in hopes of lighting a fire under your butt and getting you excited about something but you just haven’t found your passion. In time, that will come. Okay, so you found one passion this year, girls. You are becoming quite interested in them and have your eye on one or two. Unfortunately, you don’t believe me that regular showering will help in wooing the girls so we discuss your hygiene almost daily Maybe I should be thankful that you don’t love to shower. You are a sweet and handsome boy. The girls will find you soon enough! Will, you are a really great kid. Your heart is tender. Your spirit is good. You are extremely empathetic and very loyal. I love you and want everything in the world for you. And you know what, I am quite certain you will probably get that! Happy Birthday Sweet William. You make me proud.

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Happy 8th Birthday Sam!

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Happy 8th Birthday Sam! You are an awesome kid and I am so glad we get to celebrate your big day with you. You are a special guy with a lot of heart. You are tender and thoughtful. You are sweet and loyal. You have one of the best hearts I know. A few months back, you got an invitation to a birthday party. You came in excited to show us. I was sad to have to inform you that we would be out of town on that day so you would not be able to go. Your reply, “Good ‘cause I didn’t want to go if Will and Ike were not invited.” You are just that kid who thinks of others. You are happy with others and sad with them too. This year you finished first grade and moved onto second. You loved your teacher last year. This year, on meet the teacher night, your new teacher, Mrs. Anderson, had a fun size chocolate bar on each of the desks. You turned to me and said, “I am so lucky! I had the best teacher in all of first grade last year. This year I think I have the best teacher in second grade.” You started piano lessons this year. At first you thought it was fun but you are a perfectionist so it quickly became a source of frustration for you. You lasted about 9 months. You tried baseball for the first time last fall. It was a real welcome to Texas. All the kids were quite familiar with the game but it was new to you. You were hard on yourself but had a great coach who encouraged you and really worked to develop your confidence. You did try to run to third after one at bat instead of first but with each game, you got better and we couldn’t have been more proud. After that one season, your team was moving onto a more challenging level so you decided to throw yourself back into soccer. Your team in the spring didn’t quite have it together but now you are on a new team and it seems to be a better fit. Your coaches are very enthusiastic and encouraging and they love your energy during the games. They love your heart. And that is who you are Sam, all heart. When you are sad, it is heart-wrenching. When you are excited, it is awesome. You are still my most ticklish son, and your laugh is contagious! You are an incredible little man, and I am so proud to be your mama. You make me smile with your large vocabulary. You make me laugh with your take on life. There is already so much wisdom in your little body. You take care of your younger brothers and idolize your older one. Thanks for making my job easier. Thanks for making my days brighter. Thanks for making me want to be a better, more empathetic, and loving person. Thanks for being you.

Happy Birthday Macadoodle!

Happy Birthday Macadoodle! I cannot believe it has only been two years since your arrival. It seems like you have been here forever. And boy, life sure must have been slow before you got here 'cause we have been on one crazy train since then. You are an adorable, sweet, smart, ornery, and creative little guy. We can't take our eyes off you for very long because you are always exploring and figuring things out. No lock can hold you in. No door will keep you out. You have been slow to speak but we all know that your wheels are turning. You have figured out how to escape your crib, tear off the child proof knobs on the doors, unlock your bedroom door, and unlatch the gate from the courtyard into the front yard. More than once, our neighbors have returned you to us:) You love books and cars. You LOVE sports of all sorts. But, to participate to your liking, all involved must be wearing a baseball cap. Clothes are optional but hats are not;) You have begun to speak more within the past month or two. Your favorite phrases are "pease" (please), "thank choo" (thank you), "r you?" (where are you), and "wa" (Will). You do not pronounce your "sh" and "u" sounds clearly. They are actually very nasally. Shoes and juice are words only your mama can understand. But, each day you get a little clearer and with three older brothers, what is the rush. They are happy to talk for you:) And those three boys love you. Although they would appreciate you leaving their things alone, they think you are adorable and love to brag to their friends about all the new things you are doing. Will also likes to take charge of you in public. He figured out pretty quickly that cute toddlers attract cute girls! Mac, I had three boys before you arrived but none of them prepared me for you. You are your own individual with your own ideas and determination. You see your big brothers doing things and by golly, you are gonna do them too. You move chairs so that you can reach things. You use drawer knobs as foot holds so that you can scale any counter top. No one is gonna hold you back. The Lord knows that many of us have tried but you are not to be stopped. And although I fear for your safety daily, I know that creativity and determination will serve you well in life. You are gonna do some amazing things in life. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for you. I love you Macadoodle. You have given me quite a few gray hairs this past year but you are too sweet to not be forgiven. Happy 2nd Birthday Big Guy!

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