Twins' 8 Year Letter

Dear Charlie and Olivia,

Yesterday was your 8th birthday. We spent the day together as a family, splitting up for a bit so the girls could go get lunch and get Olivia's ears pierced, and the boys went to help Charlie spend his birthday gift card. He chose three Minecraft figurine sets and a glowing light saber. Then we all came back together to see the movie Moana and spend some time at a park. It was cold, but we had so much fun!

We are now looking forward to Saturday when you will both be baptized members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. What a special day that will be.

Now that you are both 8, I am going to adjust my yearly letter format. I am so glad that I wrote you each your own letter every year, or every few months. You were developing and changing so quickly that it made sense to do it frequently. But now you are a bit older, and development is happening at a slower pace than it has in the past. For this reason, I am going to write one letter to both of you, emphasizing individual things as necessary. Then, I will follow the letter with a few questions about you at your current age. I am hoping this will capture the things we want to remember, and allow you to participate a bit in recording those memories. :)

This has been a wonderful year of growth for you both. It has been such a pleasure to watch you enter Love of Play, which is the latter end of Core Phase. There are these sparks of learning and interest that have pushed you along this past year of life. Charlie's interests have been Great White Sharks, money, building, math, and copying, illustrating, and occasionally writing books. Olivia, you have enjoyed gymnastics and learning about Shakespeare this year. Both of you are coming along with learning to read at your own pace. You are enjoying books and making progress, and we are so proud of both of you. There has been a lot of excitement and exploration as well!

Both of you are great helpers around the house and I can count on you to help out whenever I need it and to complete the daily tasks that are yours. It has been rewarding, and a bit of a relief, to see you taking on these responsibilities so well. 

As you move into this next year of your life, there are some exciting changes coming. Charlie will be starting Cub Scouts and Liv will be starting Activity Day Girls. Both you of have been invited to attend those activities this month, even though you weren't yet 8. But in January it will be official, and you will begin attending weekly. I think it will a good opportunity for each of you to develop some friendships outside of our family. While our family relationships are the most important right now, you are beginning to take steps outside of these walls of our home, and I am excited for you. There are so many wonderful lessons to learn and relationships to form. 

Every year, as I take a look at who you are and how the past year has continued to shape you, I am ever more grateful for both of you. There are challenges, both individual and as a family, that we face all the time, but we are doing it together. It may look messy, and we may not always get it right, but we are moving forward with the Lord's help. I could not make this journey without either of you, and I love you both to the moon and back.

Happy 8th birthday to my Bear and my Peach!

Love,

Mom

Olivia

I am this old: 8

My favorite TV show is: The cartoon version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas

My favorite book is: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

My favorite movie is: Pete's Dragon

My favorite thing about homeschool is: Playing a game together

The thing I am best at is: gymnastics

If I could change my name, it would be: Abigail

My favorite color is: black and white

My favorite toy is: Bunny

When I grow up, I want to be/do: a missionary

I like to take these to bed with me at night: my snugglies - Bunny, my kitty, and my tiny pillow.

My favorite season of the year is: Winter and Fall

A food I really like is: cake and ice cream

My favorite animal is: cat and dog

My favorite sport is: gymnastics

My best friend is: I have five. Addison, Annie, Jordyn, Kaylee, and Logan.

My favorite holiday is: Christmas and Halloween

My favorite thing I did this year: getting my ears pierced

I really love to: do cartwheels

Something I want to stop doing next year: hitting when I'm angry and telling on people.

Something I want to start doing next year: do things without being asked.

Charlie

I am this old: 8

My favorite show is: The cartoon version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Odd Squad.

My favorite book is: Winnie-The-Pooh stories

My favorite movie is: Pete's Dragon

My favorite thing about homeschool is: building with our blocks and using my Minecraft figurines with them

The thing I am best at is: football

If I could change my name, it would be: Carl

My favorite color is: every single one

My favorite toy is: my Minecraft figurines

When I grow up, I want to be/do: the best football player ever

I like to take these to bed with me at night: my froggy, lizard, Pikachu, and Jackie's Nemo fish.

My favorite season of the year is: Summer

A food I really like is: block cheese

My favorite animal is: the Great White shark

My favorite sport is: football

My best friend is: my Dad

My favorite holiday is: Christmas

My favorite thing I did this year: buy my Minecraft figurines for my birthday.

I really love to: play with my Minecraft figurines

Something I want to stop doing next year: hitting. I'm going to try.

Something I want to start doing next year: start saving my money.

Triplets' 5 Year Letters

Dear Jack, Luke and Wendy,

Another year has passed! You're FIVE years old! Time has truly flown, and the three of you have really grown. 

Dear Jackie,

What can I say? You bring so much to this family. You are clever, expressive, thoughtful, and sweet. I love to just sit and watch you play by yourself, which you could do for hours at a time. When the rest of your siblings are outside running around, you prefer to be alone in the quiet house with your cars. setting them up, moving them around, and building roads out of blocks for them. Most of your days are filled with this activity, and they are generally accompanied by your sweet little voice singing songs you have learned in Primary or your favorite songs from movies. 

This summer, Dad bought a basketball hoop and a variety of balls to play with outside. You grabbed that basketball and kept shooting the ball for hours at a time. Over and over you would shoot, and pretty soon you got to the point where you could make most of them. You exhibited such determination and commitment. You also moved from your pedal-less bike to a 2 wheel pedal bike this summer. You were hesitant at first and asked us to put the training wheels on, but after about 2 weeks of training wheels, you changed your mind, hopped on Luke's 2 wheeler and took off. You also enjoyed your first round of swim lessons this year and proved to be fearless in the water. This summer has also seen a huge increase in dramatic play with you and your siblings. You have all put on a lot of plays for Daddy and I and you love to pretend that you are characters in your favorite books. The Pevensies and characters from Winnie-the-Pooh are favorites.

Recently you've hit a stage where you like to share your thoughts and ideas with us. It is so wonderful to have a little peek into the inner workings of your mind. And we are finding that there is quite a lot going on in there! Very recently you have enjoyed joining Charlie and Liv in really attending during our family read-alouds. And you very much enjoy snuggling up with a good book together. It has been so fun to watch you start making connections between what we have read and things that happen in life. I have also noticed an increase in your interest in math. Oftentimes you will ask me if 2 and 3 makes 5, or some other problem. The other day you told me, sadly, that you could only count to 20. When I told you that if you could do that you could count to 100, and explained how you immediately counted to 139 before you tired of counting. 

Lastly, I must not forget to mention your love of nature and beauty. We have a nature shelf where we display the various rocks, feathers, nuts, shells, pine cones, etc that we collect on our nature walks and time in the park. You have contributed so many items to this, and find special excitement when you find more walnuts. You love to try and identify rocks, birds, and bugs in our various nature books. It is thrilling for you to discover something new and beautiful. Frequently you will point out beautiful things that you see, and you will show them to me with such awe in your voice. You even have ideas about beautiful ways to decorate our home or beautiful ways to dress.

Thank you, Jack, for continuing to bring light and beauty, compassion and joy, excitement and fun into our family and lives. It is an absolute pleasure to watch you grow, learn, love, and enjoy every moment of it. You are a wonderful example to me in so many ways. I am thankful for you, and I love you endlessly.

Happy 5th Birthday baby boy! Because you will always be my baby. :)

Love Always,

Mommy

Dear Luke,

Something wonderful has happened this year. From the very beginning of your life, you haven't been incredibly fond of physical affection. I couldn't nurse you because you didn't want to be held so close for so long. You wanted to move and explore and DO. But this year has brought you to a place where you crave and appreciate a good snuggle, especially with Daddy.  Sweetness just oozes out of you, and you give kisses freely. 

Another difference has come about recently. Just in the past week, you have started to look for time to play quietly by yourself. Generally with cars... if you can find a time when Jack isn't using them. :) The other day, Jack was telling a story while you were drawing quietly at the art table. Very politely you said, "Mommy, could you ask Jackie to stop talking? I need some quiet time." This was SO out of the ordinary for you, but I am grateful that you finding time to be still and think. In a house so full of busy people, and being a busy person yourself, it will do you so much good to have those calm moments.

But you still enjoy playing with your siblings and seem to prefer that. Working together to create shows, dramatic play, and sports are some of your favorite activities. You spent a lot of time with Jack at the basketball hoop this summer, and the two of you really like playing "20" with your dad. This is one of the made up games that he created for you. Basically, you take turn shooting the ball until someone makes 20 baskets. The other game the whole family enjoys is called "Smear." Dad sits in his chair and throws the "quaffle" (an inflatable volleyball), and everyone tries to get it back to him. There are points and penalties, and I don't really have any idea what the rules are, but you  love it! And of course, you have built one trillion tents. My sofa cushions have never been put to so much good use. 

This summer has been a fun one for you. You transitioned from your pedal-less bike to a 2 wheeler in 20 minutes. You asked for pedals but were unsure of not having training wheels. After a few brief tries, you gave up and said you wanted training wheels. But after a couple days, we hadn't gotten around to putting them back on, so you decided to bite the bullet and ride. In 20 minutes you taught yourself to ride the bike. You also had a great time at swim lessons and really enjoyed the water.

Most of all, you still love to have a purpose in all that you do. Helping me cook, washing the dishes, cleaning the toilets, vacuuming, and sweeping when you feel so inclined, are incredibly enjoyable to you. If the job involves water, all the better. This has morphed into a love of writing. You like to write little notes throughout the day, and the same letters always get top billing. M, W, I ,O and T. Over and over I see these letters... I even noticed them on the wall in your bedroom. Ahem. But, I'm glad to see you enjoying this.

I'm really excited to see what this year will bring for you, Lukie. You are a very special guy, and Daddy and I love the pieces out of you!

Happy 5th Birthday, my love!

Love Always,

Mommy

Dear Wendy,

Our little princessy girl! You have done a lot of growing and developing this past year. You are talking up a storm lately, and doing a wonderful job using your words to express your needs and desires, and to just carry on same fun conversations. It has been wonderful to get a better look into your thoughts with this more in-depth mastery of language and communication. You're a pretty funny girl!

You have cemented your love of beauty this year, and it is so refreshing to have around. If something is beautiful, you love it. And almost everything IS beautiful to you. Including yourself, which I think is fantastic. This year you have developed a great love of books, too. I will often find you taking a quiet moment to look through a beautifully illustrated book because, of course, those must be beautiful too. "Bootiful books" make you so happy.

A very closer relationship with Luke had grown this year, and spend a lot of time playing together. That is not to say that you don't also enjoy playing with your other siblings. You all get along - and argue - very well together! The relationships you have with everyone has grown, and it is so wonderful to see how close you all are. This year, Grandpa and GG moved from their condo and downsized in the process. Because of this, they could not take some of their furniture, so they gave you and Liv a new bed. You were both very excited about the prospect of sharing a bed after having bunk beds, but let's just say that this change has brought you closer together as well as solidifying some points of contention. Namely, the fact that you have such a hard time sleeping and letting Liv sleep.  And though this causes a lot of tension (we probably should not have thrown the bunk bed away...), you are still very much loving sisters. Olivia comforts you when you are hurt or sad, and you seek out that comfort. It is such a sweet thing to witness. Lastly, it is official. You are a Daddy's girl. He is the one you want to comfort you and snuggle with you. When you are up late, it is Daddy who can calm you and help you sleep. And this relationship has also grown over the past year.

So it would seem that this year of your life has been a focus on relationships. You can still throw a mean tantrum, but your communication is improving and helping, and you are building strong relationships with your family members. It is good to see and it is vitally important to your life. And for that, I am exceedingly grateful. You are a bright ray of sunshine to our days, Wendy. You bring us such happiness, joy, and love. We are grateful for you, and we love you.

Happy 5th Birthday!

Love,

Mommy

Charlie and Olivia's 7 Year Letters

Dear Olivia,

First, Happy Birthday you big 7 year old! Second, THANK YOU. Thank you for a wonderful year. You have blossomed into this wonderful, beautiful, fun, FUNNY, creative, sensitive, helpful, caring young girl. Your Daddy and I are thrilled with the person you are and the one you continue to become. This year has brought so many magnifications of who you really are. 

You are so loving with your little siblings and you continue to develop your relationships with each of them. We have noticed how you will sacrifice some of the things you want to do in order to play with them the way they want to play. They are almost always included in your play, though the last week or so has brought a desire to do things more independently. 

It is clear that you are moving into the next phase of childhood. You want more independence and responsibility. You are delving a bit deeper into your interests. We started homeschooling in March of this year, and while you were doing wonderfully in public school, it has been such a privilege for me to watch you forging your own educational path here at home. On your own, bit by bit, you have continued to work on learning to read. We have not forced it or drilled it, but your interest and desire has spurred you on, and you are now reading things with very little assistance. If there is s sign, you'll read it. A birthday card, you'll read it. A book you are interested in, you'll pick it up and read it. You are persistent and patient, both of which are excellent qualities.

Art is also a passion of yours, and you enjoy it in all of it's forms. For a large portion of the day you can be found at your art table drawing or coloring while singing songs you make up as you go along. We went to see A Christmas Carol at the Palace Theater right after Thanksgiving and since then you have enjoyed putting on performances for us. With Charlie, you rehearse your shows and then invite us all in for the big show. Very little of your day is not centered around the arts in some way. 

Another fun little thing about you is that you are also extremely interested in people and take little "favorite" surveys all day long. To family and strangers alike you ask, "What's your favorite color?" "What's your favorite shade of a gray?" "What's your favorite holiday, animal, restaurant...?" 

But even with these fun educational achievements and interests of yours, the best thing from this past year has been to watch your character develop. You will always help when help is needed, and MOSTLY with a cheerful attitude. :) Your prayers have become so sweet, tender and thoughtful as you pray for those in need around the world. You sense the emotional weight of issues and events as they arise, and being one with a flair for the dramatic, we can read you like a book when you are bothered or distressed about something. You CARE...deeply. For your family, your friends, and those you have never met. You are an inspiration to me every day, and every day you teach ME how to be a better person. I'm told by a very wise Grammy of yours that this is how it should be. And I think she's right. We want our children to be better than we are, and my little Livy Lou, you are. I am so thankful for you.

Happy 7th Birthday!

Love you to the moon and back...and around Jupiter...and to China...and to California...and to Georgia...and to the Universe...and back. :)

Mommy

Dear Charlie,

Happy Birthday, Bear!! I can't believe you are 7! Tonight, as I tucked you in and cuddled with you for a few minutes, we talked about the how tiny you were when you were born and how I wasn't able to hold you after I left the OR for awhile as you were in the NICU and I was recovering in my room. You were so tiny, and I can still see the image of you being held up by the nurse as they wheeled me through the NICU on the way to my room. You have tubes and wires everywhere. And now, here I am with a healthy 7 year old boy I can hold and cuddle...but probably not for long.

Charlie Bear, my heart is aching just a little bit tonight, as a Mommy's heart often does. Watching our children grow, and watching YOU grow, is such a beautiful experience, but it doesn't come without some heartache. We have been through a lot together over these past 7 years, and I am grateful for all of it for it has taught me much. You have taught me much, and I am still learning. And I thank you for that.

In ways that I can never hope to be, you are incredibly intelligent. Math and science just click with you, and you have really enjoyed exploring various aspects of those since we started homeschooling. Experiments are a favorite and more recently you have begun building and engineering. You love to solve problems and fix things. Math just seems to click, and while I still often have to count in order to add two figures together (laugh all you want), it just comes naturally to you.

An unexpected benefit of our move to homeschooling this year has been for you. You were doing just great in academics in Kindergarten, but you were struggling when you finally came home at the end of your day.  You did all you could to keep it together while you were there so when you came home you had just had enough, and it made it difficult to get along with people and to feel happy and good about yourself. While we have continued to work on some things here at home, I am SO grateful that the stresses of your school day have been lifted. Here at home we can work on things at a pace that is comfortable and exciting to you. We go where your interests lead us, and more importantly, we are spending our time focusing on building a solid foundation in YOU as a person upon which you can build all of your academic knowledge and capabilities as you feel ready to do so. We have the opportunity to love together, work together, and learn together. And when we need more of any of those, we go for it.

You are an amazing person, Charlie Bear. You are determined, intelligent, logical, focused, and caring. When something is wrong, you know it. When someone is WRONGED, you know that too, and it affects you in a very real way. Daddy and I are seeing the makings of an incredible man in you, but for now, I am very glad to keep you as my little boy, and I will cherish every precious hug, cuddle, and "I love you Mommy." Because I love you too, Charlie Bear. More than you will ever know.

Happy 7th Birthday!!

All my love,

Mommy

To both of you:

There is a reason you came to this earth together. You are the yin and yang of our family. Of each other. You love and you fight, but you balance each other out in every way. You are the best of friends, and sometimes the very worst of enemies. But MOSTLY, you are the best of friends. What a gift you have been given in each other. Do not ever take it for granted. The two of you have something special, and it is a blessing to us all to be able to witness it. 

4 Year Letters to Jack, Luke, and Wendy

Dear, Jackie,

You are still my snuggly little guy, and my very favorite thing to do with you is tuck you in at nap time. For some reason, that is your cuddliest, sweetest time of day. We say a little prayer and sing a little song, and you use your little baby voice, and tell me you love me. I know that these days are coming to a close, but for now I am relishing every moment.

Your keen mind is always at work. Every little detail of whatever you are engaged in gets your undivided attention, and you occupy a large portion of your time in quiet play by yourself. This does not mean, however, that you do not have the necessary social skills. You are so much fun! This past year has brought you into the spotlight with all of your brothers and sisters. It has become clear that you are the life of the party when you want to be. Your laugh is loud and infectious, and your goofy humor is well received by all. There isn't a sibling with whom you do not get along, and everyone loves playing with you. The love you have for others is palpable.

There is something very methodical about your play. You still love your cars, and spend a large portion of your day arranging and rearranging them. Lining them up according to color, and finding how best to fit them into certain spaces. Besides cars, you love building forts, coloring, and reading. Your favorite book right now is Ocean by the Smithsonian Institute. You love the pictures of volcanoes. But whatever you do, you are constantly thinking and problem-solving.

This year has brought out a little bit of fight in you. Up until now, you have been extremely easy going, but you realized this year that you don't always have to like...or take...circumstances as they are. So you are currently working on exploring appropriate boundaries and learning when it's OK to challenge and when you really just ought to follow the rules. ;) There is also a tendency to put off doing something to the very last second. If we are cleaning, you will suddenly have to go to the bathroom. If you need to come to the dinner table, you just need to do "one more thing." When you aren't happy with things, you let us know! Your tantrums are loud, and intense, but once you have calmed down you are quickly back to your good natured self.

One of the little traits that I just adore about you is that you sing everything. You sing yourself to sleep, you sing the songs you are learning in Primary at church over and over, and you make up little songs as you play by yourself. It is so precious to sit and listen to you serenade us, quite unaware of the show you are putting on.

You have blessed our lives, Jack, and we are so grateful for your presence in our family. Your personality adds such a wonderful balance to the mix. You are extremely smart, creative, funny, thoughtful, careful, and loving. Every day I learn from you and am amazed at all you know and all you are. I love you immensely. Happy Birthday, Jackie Boy!

Love,
Mommy




Dear Lukie,

I love having you around. This last year has revealed so much more of your personality, and I am so thankful for that! For the first couple of years, I struggled a little, feeling like I couldn't quite get a grasp on who you are. As a mom, that can be a difficult place to be. But as you have come into yourself a bit more this past year, I feel like we are bonding more than ever, and I know and understand you now. :)

While the other people in our family tend to be combinations of personality types, you are all choleric (from Personality Plus, by Florence Littauer.) Basically that means that you are a go-getter who thinks that you can get anything done all by yourself. If a have a REAL purpose and task to complete, you are happy and if not, watch out! It is highly likely that something from the refrigerator will end up on the carpet, or that bottle of soda you hadn't finished will suddenly be...well...finished, or you may possibly find something broken.

You don't care for toys, and if you are found playing with them it will either be with cars (as long as you have other siblings playing too), or dressing up as a fireman. Building forts are a top pick right about now as it involves constructing and...DEconstructing! You will listen to picture books when we read aloud as a family at night, but otherwise sitting and listening to me read is not nearly purposeful enough for you. I am still trying to figure out how to incorporate reading into your day so that you can be active and productive while listening without being disruptive to others. We'll get there! So because I can't simply hand you a toy or a marker when you start to get fidgety, I have to keep you occupied with jobs around the house. You are the only one to whom I can say, "Do you want a job?" and my question is met with an enthusiastic, "Can I clean the potty?!?!" Indeed, scrubbing the toilet is your favorite thing to do. I will be totally honest here and say that you are the main reason Daddy and I are considering a move to the country. We just don't have enough jobs to keep you occupied around our tiny suburban home. You need a farm animal to care for and some wood to chop! Haha!

I see so many wonderful qualities in you, Luke. You are independent, driven, purposeful, and not afraid of hard work. You are also tender and sweet, and you have a wonderful little sense of humor. I look forward to being able to work side by side with you around the house as I teach you how to do those things that fulfill your little spirit. I have no doubt that one day you will be teaching ME the things you have learned how to do all by yourself. Thank you for your love and example. Happy Birthday, Lukie Boy!!

Love,
Mommy



Dear Wendy Jane,

What a little lady you are turning out to be. There is no doubt about it, you are the nurturer of the family. And you are also all the things I never was as a little girl! You love animals and babies, and you want to take care of everything. You love soft, tender, beautiful things. I love that about you. :) There are a few neighbors who walk their dogs by our court every day and seeing their pets is the highlight of your day. It is only a matter of time before we will have to give in and get a pet of our own. But I admit, we are waiting until the last possible second!

Your relationship with "Wivia" (Olivia) has continued to grow and strengthen over this past year. You just love your big sister so much...sometimes a little more than she would like. ;) For instance, if you had your choice, you would fall asleep laying beside her every night. Liv, however, has different ideas and isn't incredibly fond of sharing her bed. This has been a point of contention, but the past couple of months have been a little better. Other than that, the two of you get along superbly. Both of you enjoy drawing, dancing, and singing and one will often find you both engaged in those activities together.

Despite all that is feminine about you, there is a stubborn, hard streak that comes out every now and then. Generally when you are playing with your brothers. Let it be known...you can hold your own with your wild and physical brothers! They don't dare touch a toy you might even be considering picking up without knowing that you will bring the wrath. To say that you can go from zero to sixty in 2 seconds would be an understatement. You are the queen of all out tantrums. We are working on learning how to calm down, but more importantly, we are learning how to stay calm in the first place. It's a tough thing to do in a large family, and you are very protective of your time and your things.

I believe that you have naturally come up with a way to combat these negative confrontations by pulling away from the group play periodically throughout the day. You have developed a LOVE of books, and can often be found sitting with a pile of them just perusing the pages. In fact, your love of books has brought about a complete lack of naps. That's right. In the last month, you've probably fallen asleep once during nap time. The upside is that you can read quietly by yourself for a good hour in your room. So I'm gonna ride that until you tell me otherwise.

You are such a beautiful little girl outside and in. I enjoy spending time with you, and watching you turn into a wonderful little person. You have blessed our lives,and we are so thankful for you. Happy Birthday, Janie!!

Love,
Mommy



To All of You:

Happy 4th Birthday!! I can not believe that 4 years have passed since you entered the world and our family. You have gone from little bitty babies that were small enough for me to carry all three of you at once, to strong, enthusiastic, smart, loving, and energetic children.  You have undoubtedly brought joy and love to our family in abundance, and for all the chaos of these first few years, we are so very thankful for each of you. The dust is beginning to settle, and our family is forming a culture and routine that will provide us with wonderful memories over the years.


We started homeschooling this year, and I am filled with gratitude that the Lord prepared all of us with the right philosophy and method for our family. And I am grateful for the perfect timing. While I think it was important to our journey as a family for Charlie and Liv to have a (however brief) experience in public school, I am at peace with the fact that you will not have the public school experience. For our family it is the right path, and I think we have all enjoyed these past 6 months as we have made adjustments and worked together to find a rhythm that works for us. I have personally been filled with so much joy as I watch you being able to work and learn side by side your siblings.

Our family is full of special, wonderful people, and it is a true blessing to Daddy and I to be able to watch you grow into the beautiful spirits that you are. We love you are dearly and look forward to this next year with you!

Charlie and Olivia's 6 Year Letters

Dear Liv,

This past year has been a treat with you. Your personality is bigger and brighter than ever, and it has been fun having you around! You and your Daddy are a riot together. Giggling at your silly jokes and otherwise goofing around. You love to tell "why did the chicken cross the road?" jokes, but you don't yet understand what makes them FUNNY. So your punch line is always a real answer, which is funny in and of itself.

Coloring has become a huge love of yours, right along with singing, dancing, acting, and putting together outfits. Recently, your Dad told you that there was a place called Broadway where you could put ALL of those talents and interests to good use. At hearing this amazing news, you immediately decided that was what you wanted to do. Someday, you will be on Broadway. And if you want that Livy Lou, if that is your dream, you will do it. I have no doubt. And your Daddy and I will be there to help you every step of the way. :)

You started KINDERGARTEN this year!! It finally came. You have been wanting to go to school for quite some time, and now here we are. Your teacher is Mrs. Hutson, and you took to her right away, giving her a hug good-bye after your first day of school. You are learning to read right now, and every night you have a short book you have to read to us. There was a brief moment at the beginning when you had trouble identifying letter sounds, so you went to a speech therapist (who happens to be a friend of ours) for a little help. But within a few weeks, you were blowing through your letters with ease and knew far more than were expected for that time.

As always, you have made several friends, and according to your teacher, you are quite the popular girl. But none of this comes as a surprise as you are have never met a stranger or a person you didn't love. You came to this earth with a special spirit. One that knows and loves everyone. When you are wronged, it hurts you to the core. You will often say, "he broke my heart," instead of  "that made me sad." You are especially sensitive to those around you and are SO loving with your little brothers and sister. Even when they are beating up on you (it happens), you refuse to hurt them because it's not right.

Another new, and welcome development, has been how very HELPFUL you are! You have a real, true desire to serve others beyond what YOU get out of it. You are so helpful, that I often have to check myself to make sure that I am not giving all of the responsibilities to you. Knowing that I can generally ask for your help and not get a fit is a huge relief to me. Thank you for all that you do to help me and others throughout the day. :)

Livy, you are a sheer joy to have around. Even when you have your moments of difficulty, you exude so much love. I look forward to having more time together just the two of us as you get older. I thank my Father in Heaven every day that he chose to send you to us. I love you to the moon and back, and back, and back, and back, and back again!

Happy 6th Birthday!!

Love,
Mommy



Dear Charlie,

There is so much I could say in this letter. I could talk about how you started Kindergarten this year. How you struggled a bit in the beginning with staying on task and following directions, but that now you are doing an amazingly wonderful job with all of that! I could talk about how you are learning to read quickly, and you are really enjoying addition.

I could talk about your obsession with love of Minecraft. That if you could, you would spend your entire day watching Minecraft videos on the computer to get ideas for what to build, and then go to your game to build them. I could talk about how smart you are, and that all of the above things make me wonder what you will choose to do with your life. Or what you will choose to apply this knowledge, curiosity, and linear thinking to. (I could talk about how NOT to end a sentence with a preposition. ;) )

I could talk about your relationship with your siblings. How you have grown close to the triplets this past year and that you really enjoy playing with Jack. He seems to be your special buddy. I could talk about how you love Olivia so very much, and want her to play with you ALL. THE. TIME.

I could also talk about the difficulties we've had. About how hard it is for you communicate what you want, need, and feel. That every day is a challenge for you.

But here's what I want you know...through all of that...you are my heart. Through the challenges, I see you. I see your heart and your spirit. I see that you are really an incredibly sensitive and loving boy. I see that you WANT to be heard and understood. You want to express yourself. I see that you have a great love for your family and your Father in Heaven. I see how very smart you are. I see all the possibility that you have within you. I see all that you are capable of becoming, and I see all the good that you are right now.

So please know this. I. Love. You. Our family is blessed to have you with us. Every day. And things will not always be so difficult. The Lord sent you to a family that is probably more than you bargained for. While you love being with people, you are a true introvert, and there are very few places you can go to to escape the "loud crazy" of your family. But you give us all so much that we need. And hopefully, when all is said and done, we will have given you some good things too. Because you deserve all the good that the Lord has for you. And while I am an imperfect parent, I hope that I can help provide some of that for you.

I am proud of you, Charles Bowman. I am here for you, and I love you endlessly.

I wish you a very Happy Birthday, and a wonderful next year.

Love Always,
Mommy



To Both of You:

Wow! Can the two of you can get into it! There are numerous conflicts throughout any given day between the two of you, but you are really the best of friends. And while we work on how to solve problems appropriately, I know that this really shows the closeness of your relationship. You feel comfortable being yourselves and expressing your emotions (even if not always appropriately) with each other. You are each other's best friend; each other's other half. You go to each other first to tell exciting news to, or when Mom and Dad aren't being fair. ;) Together, you brighten our lives. Daddy and I love you both very, very much. Thank you for adding so much joy to our family!!

Jack, Luke, and Wendy's 3 Year Letters

Dear Jackson Eliot,

What a joy this year has been with you! You are becoming such a fun, and FUNNY, little guy! This morning, I was looking through some photos from this time last year, and things have changed dramatically. Last year, you woke up in a crib. This year, you woke up in your big boy bed. Last year, you were in diapers. This year, you are in underwear. And not only that, but you basically taught yourself how to use the potty. Something I am eternally grateful to you for!

Your interests this past year have been, well, cars. Cars, cars, and more cars. And trains. Toward the end of the year, you branched out into building train tracks and race tracks. Sometimes you simply play with your cars in the doll house. You tuck them in and give them baths. And just over the past couple of weeks, you have gravitated to the Magna-tiles, and are enjoying building "schools" with them. Schools...and race tracks. Haha!Secondary interests include "making dinner on the grill" and coloring. Despite the extreme love of cars, you really do enjoy a lot of different things, which I think will serve you well.

Physically, you are becoming more thick and muscular; no longer the chubby baby you used to be. You have been practicing kicking a ball, and are becoming quite good at it. You love to run, and when you do, you bring your shoulders up to your ears, which only serves to make you look even thicker than you are. But it makes me laugh. This summer, you taught yourself to swing unassisted, and you enjoyed climbing and doing tricks worthy of "Mom! Watch!"

Your language is coming along nicely, and you have a great vocabulary. Somehow, you learned all of your colors, and can count to 5. Several times you have put ideas together in very mature ways, and I look forward to watching you learn.

Along with this learning, comes some pushing of the limits, and asserting of your independence. This can be a challenging dance between child and parent. While it tries my patience, I am also enjoying seeing you step out and lead yourself. It's a fulfilling thing to watch as a parent.

Kindness and caring are innate characteristics of yours. It truly bothers you when someone else is sad or hurt. And I think that it hurts your heart, more than your body, when someone hurts YOU. Even when the toddler in you comes out and you yell or hit, you seem to understand immediately what you did wrong. And that it affected someone else negatively. You are quick to say, "I'm sorry" and give a hug to the wronged person.

Jackie, when I need a snuggle, I know to come to you. From day one, you have been a fantastic snuggler. I love to sit and hold you, and kiss you, and hug you. And there are many times during the day when I need that. :) I love you so, so very much. And I am thankful every day that the Lord sent you to us.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Jackie Boy!

Love,
Mommy



Dear Luke Wilson,

You have been a tricky two year old. But you know what? That says more about my weaknesses than yours. :) There is nothing safe in this house because you will deconstruct it in some way. Or if you aren't deconstructing, you are investigating things like knives, medicine, and what happens when you (repeatedly) climb the fence and run away. ALL. SUMMER. LONG. As a parent, it is terrifying. But I know that all these things are really just amazing assets that, once safety rules are learned, will help you create and think in innovative ways. Yes, my house is a mere shell of what it used to be when we bought it. Yes, I have considered installing bullet proof cabinets at the very top of our ceilings to store our...EVERYTHING. We have no pictures on the walls, unless you count the crayon marks. Our furniture and carpet is stained with all manner of food, liquids, and who-knows-what. But I have come to this conclusion: it that's how it must be until you learn how to explore safely, then so be it. Because your exploration will teach you great things and take you great places.

Your interests are pretty much listed above. While you play with toys, they don't hold as much of a draw for you as for other children. You are a mover. Learning comes mainly through manipulating the world around you. You are definitely sensory oriented, and water is a favorite of yours. You also LOVE playing with your siblings. Whatever they are doing, you will gladly join in.

Of all of my children, you are the most independent. While you are not yet potty trained, I will often see you coming out of the bathroom having gone, flushed, and washed your hands without even alerting me of your need to go! You can put on your shoes, and get yourself dressed. There really isn't much that you won't first try to do yourself. As long as it's safe, I love this about you.

Tucking you in at bedtime is such a sweet experience for me. It is the only time during the day when you are calm and we are able to talk a bit. Your prayers bring the Spirit to our house, and you were the first to begin praying on your own. While you still need help every now and then, listing the things for which you are thankful is no problem at all. A couple nights ago, you thanked Heavenly Father for " Mommy, Daddy, Jackie, Lukie, Wendy, Livy, Charlie, Bob and Dee's house (our neighbors), Munny (your Bunny), bed, church, and Jesus." Grandparents are often included, as are things that happened during the day. It is nice to see that side of you at the end of a long day. Inside that active body, there is a sweet and sensitive spirit.

There is so much you add to this family that I cherish. I am so excited for the life you have ahead of you, but I want to soak up every moment of this time. I can not believe that you are already 3 years old. The rest is coming so quickly, but I know that taking this journey with you is going to be a wonderful ride! I love you dearly, Lukie.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Lukie!

Love,
Mommy




Dear Wendy Jane,

I feel like I have gotten to know you a lot better this year. Up until now, I honestly felt a bit confused about who you are. That sounds strange, given that I'm your MOTHER, I know. It isn't that I didn't KNOW you, but you hadn't yet established some key personality traits. This past year, you did that. I have learned that you really do need a lot of cuddle time and attention. And you have a whole lot of love for your family.

You seem to be developing special relationships with Luke and Livy. Liv ("yivy" as you call her), especially. She cares for you in a mothering kind of way, and you love to be cuddled by her. I can already tell that you look up to her, and I've seen the beginnings of "I want to be just like her!" Thankfully, you have an excellent role model in that department. :) But when Liv is gone, Grammy and I have noticed several occasions where you and Luke are just enjoying each other's company. I will say, though, that you have taken to calling Jack and Luke, "my boys," which is just the sweetest term of endearment you could have picked.

Then there's Yaya, the dolly we bought you for your first Christmas. When you are feeling sad, tired, angry, or any negative emotion at all, she is the first thing you want. You took her outside this summer and lost her for several days. Daddy and I had to track the doll down online and buy a new one. When we gave her to you, it was clear that this was not the real Yaya. The REAL Yaya only had one leg, and her body was long devoid of stuffing. But we were able to convince you that I had fixed her up and washed her off. Later, we found the original Yaya in our neighbor's yard. So every now and then, Yaya randomly looses her leg and some stuffing. Ironically, it generally coincides with those times when we have a very hard time finding her. ;)

An artistic side has come out in you lately too. You like to color with Livy, and on an app on our computer. But music is really where it's at for you. In the car, you will scream until you get it. (Need to work on that, BTW. ;) ) At bedtime, you would have us sing the whole night if you could. Right now, your favorites are Row, Row, Row Your Boat, and Somewhere Over the Rainbow. You know them well enough that you can sing along now. And you know what? You have some natural talent. For a three year old, you are pretty good at matching pitch.

As a 2 year old, you  definitely had some typical toddler behaviors. EVERYTHING was yours, and in this family, there is very little that actually belongs to one person. So that could be tricky. And when someone takes whatever item you feel you should have, you scream and run at them in what I can only imagine is horribly terrifying for them! And yes, you will hit, kick, and bite if necessary. While these behaviors aren't ok, I feel confident that you will be able to hold your own with your lively siblings! On the flip-side, the tiniest little boo boo you incur requires ice, band-aides, kisses, hugs and love, and some good old fashioned "poor Wendy!"s. Nothing will heal correctly without the proper amount of frowns from those attending to you.

You are full of sweetness, happiness, and love. It has been a pleasure getting closer to you this past year. And while I know that there are other wonderful secrets hiding just beneath your surface, and I look forward to unearthing them as you grow. I am grateful to have you as my daughter. You add such joy to our family. I love you to the moon and back.

Happy Birthday, Wendy Lady!

Love,
Mommy




To the three of you:
Thank you for loving me, teaching me, and growing with me this year. It's not been easy, but it's been rewarding. You are all precious to me, and our family has been hugely blessed by each of you. While the world may assume that because you came as a package deal, that you are similar people, it is simply not true. You are so very different, and yet your love for each other is palpable. You are very special people, and your Daddy and I hope and pray that we can be the parents you need us to be in order to help you grow into your talents. If we can do that together, and with the Lord, you are going to impact this world in amazing ways. You already have. You have changed my heart. <3 br="" nbsp="">

Triplets' 2.5 year Letters

Dear Jack, Luke, and Wendy,

I almost didn't even write this round of letters. Not because I don't care. And not because I don't want to remember this time in your lives. But simply because I am tired. Having three toddlers in the house has proven to be more taxing than your Daddy and I could have imagined. It requires CONSTANT vigilance, more energy than we ever seem to have, and a whole lot of patience...something I can ALWAYS use more of. But here it is, 10:35 pm, and I have decided to give this a shot. It will be short and sweet, but I am going to document a few things about each of you that I just don't want to forget. So here it goes...

Jackie,

You have an incredible love affair with your cars. You ask about them in the morning, and you are concerned about them when you lay down for nap or when we tuck you in at night. "Where caws go? Where caws go?" you ask. We must tell you repeatedly that your cars are sleeping soundly and comfortably in their bin in the playroom. You give them baths in the dollhouse, and tuck them into the tiny crib there as well. You spend the entire day driving them up, and down, and around. But when you aren't playing with your cars, you really enjoy coloring, singing, and dancing.

I love the way you speak. Charlie and Livy are "Crawa" and "Wawa." You and Luke call Wendy, "Danny," which is just fabulous. :)

My favorite thing about you right now is how very sweet you are with everyone. You give me kisses by gently grabbing my cheeks and pulling my face toward yours. You are just the most incredible snuggler, and I love every minute. And you try to comfort your siblings when they are sad,which is just precious.

I LOVE YOU JACKIE BOY!


Lukie,

You are are into EVERYTHING, my love! You want to play in the sinks, unload the refrigerator, check out the knives, throw food and drink on the floor, tear stuff off the walls, etc. It's your thing. Toys don't really interest you much, and when they do, they don't hold your attention for long. I think the warm weather will be your very best friend...if I can figure out a way to keep you in the yard.

By far, you are my most independent child. You have taught yourself how to put on your boots, you throw trash away when you find it, you want to help me cook, clean, and do just about anything you see me doing.

In the past few months, you have really come to care for your siblings. You often ask where they are if you can't find them, and you try to include them in whatever activity you are engaged in (which often results in total chaos, but that's ok. :) ) It is so much fun to watch you interact with them. And it has been a joy watching your affectionate personality come back to the foreground. For a while, the happiness that you were born with seemed to fade a bit, but you are once again the very happy guy you were in the beginning.

I LOVE YOU LUKIE BOY!


Wendy,

You have really blossomed in regards to your personality, lately. You are fun, happy, and goofy. You love to dance and sing, and you are developing your very own tiny sense of humor. It's so cute!

Daddy has written little songs for each of you, and you love to sing through all of them at bedtime. In just a few short weeks, you have learned a large portion of most of the songs, which is rather impressive! You love to sing so much that after we finish one song, you say, "sing song?" And you won't stop until we finally have to tell you that it's your turn to sing to your "Yaya" (dolly) so that we can go tuck the rest of the children in. And what's awesome is that you do!

After 5 years of raising children, we finally have a jealous one. You are my first and only child who REALLY gets bothered when I am spending time with another child...family or otherwise. Screaming is the first method of attention getting, but you have been known to physical remove a child from my lap and then flail your limbs to prevent them from returning to the coveted place. It's proven quite difficult to read to anyone or generally spend any time with others while you are around. But I take it as a compliment, and am happy that you love me so much. So I'll let you in on a little secret...

I LOVE YOU TOO, WENDY LADY!!


So that's a small, quick glimpse into your 2.5 year old selves. I love you all dearly, and there are things I will treasure about this time. But I'm not gonna lie. We're in survival mode over here. And now I need to go to bed...and hopefully everyone will sleep soundly tonight. I look forward to your smiling faces in the morning.

MWAH!!

Love,
Mommy

Charlie and Olivia's 5 Year Letters!

My Dearest Olivia,

I can't believe that you are 5 years old! The day you were born, I tried to envision you as  a 5 year old. I knew that when your fifth birthday came, I would no longer have a little child on my hands. Oh. You are still young. With a lot of youth ahead of you. But there is something that happens at 5. Something that spring-boards you out of the baby phase. And you have certainly taken that jump!

This year has been an exciting one with you. You have grown into this incredibly caring, loving, and helpful little girl. I am so grateful to have you around for so many reasons, but you are turning out to be a huge help in a practical sense. You take it upon yourself to check on your younger siblings when you hear an altercation begin, often saying things like, "Don't worry Mom. I've got it!" There is a nurturing side to you that is developing nicely. You watch out for your siblings, play with them, snuggle with them, and correct them when they are clearly out of line! We are working on using a kinder tone, as you have a tendency to yell. But in all honesty, you may have come by that naturally. :/ Anyway! This helpful, caring side has been evident at school as well. Your teacher, Mrs. Camerucci was very complimentary about how you interact with the other children. We are so proud of you for this. It is a quality that will serve you well in your life.

Another recent development has been your desire to help around the house in other ways. Without prompting, you decided that your "job" would be to clean up the playroom in the evenings. This has fallen off a bit the last week or so, but we can still count on you to get to work and see it through when asked. SUCH a HUGE help to me. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! :)

You started all day Pre-K this year at A.G. Bell. And we have already seen a lot of growth in you because of it. You know a lot of your letters and their sounds. You have have gained a greater appreciation for art...specifically coloring...something you want to do a lot now. And your handwriting is improving a bit. It may take awhile before your penmanship is up to that of your peers, but the reason for that makes you all the more special. We have thought, and now your teacher seems to agree, that you are truly ambidextrous. One hand is not favored over the other. When you are drawing and the hand you are using gets tired, you simply switch hands and keep going. You will even switch hands part way through a WORD! And the incredible thing is, you can't tell by looking at the letters where you switched! It's very fascinating, and I am curious to see what affect this may have on how you learn, what you enjoy, and how you think generally. But in the meantime, it is taking a little longer for you to master some fine-motor skills. But we aren't worried. That will come. :)

Just as you have been from the beginning, you continue to be outgoing and theatrical. You throw yourself into everything you do. You feel it all and love it all. Your personality is big and commanding, but the love and kindness you feel toward others balances that well. Essentially, you are a joy to have around. You make us laugh, you push our buttons, and you teach us every day about the things that matter most in life. Your greatest attribute is that you are forgiving. Genuinely. And in that way, I try every day to be like you. :)

I love you, Olivia Ruth Bowman. You are the peachiest of peaches. And I have been blessed beyond measure to have you as my daughter.

Happy 5th Birthday!

Love Always,
Mom







My Dearest Charlie,

These past five years have brought you through a lot. There have been a lot of challenges, but things are starting to change. School has been good for you. There is a certain level of autonomy there that is lacking in our home situation, and it seems to be working for you. While there are definite rules to follow, you have more opportunities to do things for yourself. I have noticed in the last couple of months, that you are taking charge of yourself more. When you want a drink, you ask and then take care of it yourself. This has been extremely helpful to me around the house, but it has also made you happier. :) We still have power struggles sometimes when there is a time crunch, but generally speaking things have been going a lot smoother lately.

At our first parent-teacher conference, your teacher, Miss Trisha, gave you an wonderful compliment. She told us that you are "a leader" in the classroom. As all of your classmates are hearing impaired, they often look to you for guidance in what they should be doing at any given time. Apparently you are doing quite well at following directions, so your friends are able to follow your lead. Being a leader is an incredibly important attribute, and your Daddy talks with you about it often. So it was great to hear that you are already becoming one!

You are going through a critical thinking stage right now. Focusing a lot on rules, right and wrong, good guys vs. bad guys, etc. At this stage, everything is black and white for you. So it's funny to hear your questions (which are MANY), and things like crossing lines while driving, lying, or saying something hurtful. Basically, if you mess up, you're going to jail. Period. Better not yell at your brother, because the police are coming to the door! You are asking deeper questions too, though. About death, and where we go after this life. Sometimes you ask questions so deep I have to think a bit before I answer. It's hard to give a 5 year old answer to a 80 year old question! But it keeps things interesting!

All this questioning has only gotten more intense now that Santa has entered the picture. You want so desperately to believe, but things just aren't adding up. The Elf on the Shelf doesn't even BLINK for crying out loud! And why on Earth would Santa tell him not to talk? What harm would it do for Elf to say, "Hello" every once in a while? The questions go on and on. My answer is always the same now..."What do you think, Charlie?" And then you create a reason why it COULD be true. But I just don't see you believing too much longer. If you were an only child, it would probably be over. But Liv keeps the light shining on that one. :)

This year, you have finally begun to really enjoy Jack, Luke, and Wendy. You take time to play with them now, and have really developed a special relationship with Jack. The two of you get along so well! Like Liv, you also take on a parenting role with them every so often. I have also noticed that you have become more affectionate with them. Tonight, you came into Wendy's room with me to help tuck her in. You gently helped her lay down, gave her "Ya-ya" (her dolly), and covered her up with her blankets. You helped me sing her a song, and when we left the room, you told each other, "I love you." And for the first time since she was in a big girl bed, she didn't stand up and try to leave! You, sir, are my new bedtime helper! :)

I love you so very much, Charlie Bear. You are a blessing to this family, and I can not imagine my life without you in it. We are a lot a like, I think. And this may be our blessing and our curse. :) But I want you to know that no matter what, I think you are an incredible child...and incredible person. There is so much potential locked inside your little body, and the world better watch out when it's finally unleashed in all it's glory. Because WOW are we in for a treat!

Happy 5th Birthday, Charles David Bowman!

I love you with all my heart.

Love Always,
Mom




To both of you:
One of the greatest joys in my life is watching the bond the two of you have. It has grown immensely in these 5 years. But there is one thing that has never changed. You balance each other PERFECTLY. Where one is loud, the other is quiet. Where one is a introverted, the other is outgoing. Where one is creative, the other is analytical. But the miraculous thing is that these traits do not cause trouble. You lift each other up. You bring out the best in each other, and push each other to grow. You are the best of friends and the worst of enemies, but you LOVE each other so totally and completely. You have both done excellently in different classrooms this year, but when you come together you do just as well.

I love the people you are, and the people you are becoming. But I can't help but think back to those days in the hospital, as we waited anxiously for your arrival...hoping it would be later, rather than sooner. And in those many quiet moments "by myself," I got to know you both. We've been together longer than this birthday suggests. Before your birth, I knew that you, Olivia, were vibrant and outgoing. That you would take charge of situations and lead with exuberance. Charlie, I knew you would have a quieter personality, but there would be strength and wisdom in abundance. I knew this then, and I see it now.

Your birthday always tugs at my heart-strings in tender ways. Because it also brings back memories of your Grandpa David. How grateful I still am that he was able to meet you both in this world before he passed on. I see him when I look into your sweet faces, and you remind me daily that this family we have goes far beyond the walls of our home. And the love we have for each other extends even further. And I am grateful for that. I am grateful for you.

Triplets' 2 Year Letters! What?!

To the three of you:

I can NOT believe that you are two. That TWO WHOLE YEARS have passed since your arrival into the world. When I look at you, I still see my babies, which is probably why we all still call you "the babies," when in reality, you are no longer that at all. You are big, and strong, and filled with personality and knowledge. Every. Single. Day. I am amazed by each of you together and individually. I just adore spending my days with you. You make me laugh, cry, and feel so very loved. I pray that I make each of you feel that way too. I am grateful to be your Mommy, I know that the Lord has infinitely blessed our family by sending the three of you to us.

Dear Jackie,

Here we are! 2 years into your life. At the risk of sounding cliche, I truly feel that these two years have gone by in the blink of an eye. I almost can't remember them having happened at all!

But it HAS passed. Because here you are, asking for "wah-dee" (water), and wanting to join in all the fun. ("Too! Too!") Your vocabulary is growing at a rapid pace, and you are able to communicate most things through words. It takes a special ear to translate some of those words, but you are coming along quite well.

But when you are fed up, and tired of trying to use those darned words, you tend to resort to screaming and biting. Much to the dismay of your siblings. To be perfectly fair, though, you are still the most amazingly laid back child I have ever seen! You are patient and enjoy just going with the flow. You play well with others. You play well by yourself. There have been many times when I have come out to the playroom to find you sitting by yourself with a book or your cars; playing contentedly amidst the chaos around you. You are the eye of our storm. :) These characteristics will serve you well in this large and crazy family, my dear!

A relatively new development for you is that you have made a friend. Outside of your siblings, that is. You ADORE "Connoo" (Connor), who is the oldest child (age 9) of Charlie and Liv's former baby-sitter. They live around the corner, and every time we drive by their house, you get so excited and start yelling his name. The same thing occurs when we walk into the chapel at church and you see them sitting there. This is a bit more disruptive, but it's so sweet to see how much you love him.

Besides this friendship with Connor, you have really grown in your relationships with your siblings as well. They all love you to pieces, and you love them just as much. You love to give hugs and kisses, and you will find and give them their favorite toys when they are sad. You've never been one to be upset when others are upset, but you know what to do to make them feel better...and you DO IT! Perhaps, a therapist in the making? :) Grammy would be proud! But being able to witness this sensitivity and kindness in you is such a blessing as a mother.

There are a couple other interests of yours that have caught my attention lately. First, you like to clean up! Seriously. You LIKE it! You will grab a bin of toys, dump it out, play with it (or not), and then put all of the toys back in. And then you will repeat the process. This, in and of itself, isn't incredibly surprising. Toddlers often love to dump, and then sometimes put things back IN. But you take it a step further. The other day, you were walking around the house in Daddy's shoes...a fun past-time for you and Luke. I told you it was time to get in the car. So you walked over to where you found the shoes, took them off, and laid them back where they were. But that wasn't enough. You then noticed that they were crooked. So you bent down and straightened them so they were laying parallel to each other!  And "Ewww! Yucky!" is a phrase I hear a lot from you. You'll say this even when things are just cluttered. I have this feeling I won't have to tell you repeatedly to clean your room when you get older. I'm good with that.

The second thing you've been enjoying lately is signing. There really is no need for a radio in our car, because you serenade us all the way to our destination. And you're good! You have mastered the tune of The ABC Song/Twinkle Twinkle Little Star/Baa Baa Black Sheep. I can't wait for you to learn the words to see which one you are really singing! There is also a movie all of the children enjoy called "The Fairies." There is one particular song in it that I recognized when you started singing it a couple months ago. After MANY listens, and MANY times singing it together, you get the notes right on that one too. Pretty impressive! (And yes. I'm bragging a little here. But you deserve it!) And, I have to mention the Jackie-dance. Oh my goodness! You bounce your short little legs and bob your head. PRE.CIOUS!

Oh! And the potty. You LOVE the potty! Haven't done much more than sit on it, but you sure do love it. And it seems to be your favorite place to read a book. Hehe!

Mostly, Jack, I just couldn't be happier to have your in our family. There are so many wonderful things you bring to us, and we are all benefited and bettered by them. There is no one you can't charm, and nothing you can't do. The future is SO very bright for you, and I am drinking in every moment of your development, and relishing the chance to see you grow. You are a special child of God, and I love you dearly.

Happy Birthday, Jackie!

Love,
Mommy



Dear Lukie,

2 years ago today, the nurses laid you on my chest in the recovery room to help regulate your breathing. We sat that way for a good long time...a memory I will forever cherish. And then, on the way to the well-baby nursery, they changed their minds and sent you to the NICU for a couple nights. It's hard to believe that you are that same baby boy. There is NOTHING weak about you now. You are the first of my children to climb out of their crib. You climb the couch, the table, and the fence. You are a little Hudini in your carseat and stroller. I have to belt you in REALLY tightly to keep the straps on you. You can jump with both feet, and walk down steps without holding on to anything. I can't hang anything on my walls. In other words, you constantly keep us on our toes.

During these first two years of your life, you have see-sawed back and forth between wanting almost NO cuddling, and needing to be held every. single. second. We are currently in the midst of the most clingy phase yet. And while it's very difficult to cook a meal with you hanging on my clothes, and it's torture for me to take a shower while you wail at the bathroom door, I find comfort in the fact that you DO like some cuddle time. :) So I try to give you special one-on-one attention when I can. But for those times when I need to be with other children or doing other tasks, you have developed your own comfort strategy. The bunny you never really cared much about, but sat in your crib at night, has now become a trusted companion.

When you are in a good mood, it's easy to tell. Those are the times we you become a talker. You babble on and on about everything around you. Your vocabulary is expanding rapidly, but you love to talk about cars, trucks, Jack, and dogs.

Speaking of dogs. You are terrified of them, but you are also fascinated with them. The more you see them, hear them, and are around them, the more you are beginning to like them. Just one more way you are a like your big brother Charlie. He was the exact same way. He was also infatuated with shoes. So, yeah, you love those too! You want them on so that you can turn around and take them off. You walk around in Daddy's shoes, Charlie's shoes, and Livy's shoes. The other day, you were (successfully!) walking around in my high heels! Your balance in amazing. :)

Like Jack, you have also started singing a lot more. But you don't sing tunes that we recognize. Instead, you make up little songs and sing quietly to yourself. You have the sweetest little voice! And I love when you get up enough courage to dance. You usually hang back and watch everyone else's moves, but lately you've started to loosen up and get out on the dance floor!

We are also seeing some signs that you might be ready to start using the potty in the near-ish future. You don't particularly like to sit on the big one, but you tell me when you need a diaper change, and often you will let me know BEFORE you go. But I'm not potty training this time around. It's up to you three to let me know when you're ready. I'm in no hurry. :)

All in all, I can not express how important you are to this family. You bring so much love and tenderness, while at the same time sharing with us so much energy and fun! While I watch you grow into what I know will be the most amazing boy and man, I will forever remember you as that precious baby I held close during those first couple of hours of your life. Feeling your little chest breathing in and out. Luke, you are so special, and this entire family loves you immensely.

Happy Birthday, Lukie!

Love,
Mommy



Dear Wendy,

Where do I begin? I am glad that I saved your letter for tonight, because something amazing has happened to you today. Yesterday, you were my baby. I could not begin to see you as a 2 year old. But today, you woke up, climbed out of your crib for the first time, and walked out of your bedroom and into mine...beaming. You skipped your nap. Your new found skill was put to good use, as you simply climbed out of the pack n play and spent two hours playing quietly in Liv's room. This resulted in a cat nap on the car ride to get Charlie and Liv from school, but even with that little amount of sleep, you were in a fabulous mood the rest of the day! Such big girl things to do!

As always, you are "little miss social." You love people, and you are so very kind to them. You wave and say, "hi!" And you always wish us a "Good Morning" when we come into your room in the morning. You give the most incredible hugs. The feel of your little arms around my neck is one of the greatest feelings in the world. You make friends with everyone, but you do it in such a calm way. While your big sister is overtly outgoing and loud (in a good way), you are much more quiet, but so very endearing! You just exude love.

Along with your endearing personality, you have the flirty facial expressions to go right along with it. No one has done the "Shy Di" glance better than you since Diana herself! I sit across from you at lunch time, and you spend a good portion of the time making these faces at me. It's become a little game that we have, and it's always good for a laugh. :)

It took you a little longer than your brothers, but you are starting to use a lot more words. In the past, you've relied on non-verbals, which probably explains why you have such great facial expressions. But now you like to tell us when things are "hot," or when you have "poo poos" that need attending to.

While your vocabulary is growing, so is your ability to throw a decent tantrum. Man, can you ever have a meltdown! In this way, you are a typical toddler. If someone takes a toy you are holding, your first move is to throw yourself on the floor and scream. If someone takes a toy you were finished using, you will run at them screaming. If someone takes a toy you hadn't been using, but then realize you SHOULD be using, you will grab that toy, and run away screaming as that child pursues you in earnest. :)

There seem to be two major loves in you life. The first is Dolly, who you now call "Yaya." We bought her for you for Christmas last year, and it took you awhile to warm up to her. But now she is the go-to for comfort when you are upset, and of course, she is your snuggle buddy at bed time. The other love of your life is Olivia. If  Dolly doesn't fix the problem, Olivia will. Sometimes she will sing to you, sometimes she just puts her arm around you. But inevitably, she will calm you down. The two of you play so well together, and I love to hear the sounds of your laughter as she bounces you on her belly. This is one of the relationships I look forward to seeing grow the most. And at this rate, you two will be the best of friends.

I am grateful for you Wendy. Your sweet, loving spirit helps me throughout the day. You make me smile, and you fill me with joy, day in and day out. There are so many wonderful things in store for you in this life! And I know that you will bless the lives of so many people. Thank you for all the good you continually give to us, just by being you.

Happy Birthday, Wendy Jane!

Love,
Mommy