5

Dear Gavin -

Today you turn 5! What! Where has the time gone? I can't believe you are 5. So, things are going good with you. You love preschool and are so excited to go to Kindergarten in the fall. You will get your Kindergarten shots this week, that will be fun. You are a great big brother to your two little brothers and such a good big helper for me. Thank you for helping all the time and being so willing. That is a big reason I believe you came to us first.

Remember that we always love you and wouldn't do anything to purposefully hurt you or your brothers in anyway. Your brothers already look up to you so much, so be a good example for them and always try to do what is right. Thank you for always wanting to go to Church every week and stay for your primary class. You like to learn about Jesus, the Gospel and all the songs we sing. You are a good influence for your dad and I too.

You will go to Kindergarten in the Fall and I am so nervous for you, I know you will do great, but I hate that there are others out there that will hurt you and not be nice. You are the nicest kid I have ever met and so kind and willing to help. You have a soft heart and I don't want it to get hurt.  I know you will probably do fine, and I will be harder for me than you to send you to Kindergarten, but I am still nervous.

We are so proud of you and the things you do. We can't wait to continue to watch you grow up and experience life. We love you so much and are so thankful you came to earth to be with us!  Love you!

Love, Mom

Dear Boys

I had to write a paper for my Psychology class and this is the one I chose.  So I decided I better post it to the blog for future:

9.2 Dear Betty or Bob: A Letter to Your Future Child(ren).  Remember that your letter should be embedded in a paper format with introduction, conclusion, reflective writing.

I already have children and a blog so really I think I write to them often on my blog, but it is not really anything specific just a recap of the things we have done as a family and it is something that I print off yearly and keep it in book form for future generations or even just for my kids and maybe their wives and kids to see one day.  It also helps me remember how my kids were as babies, what they liked and didn’t like, and fun things we have done before.

But to write them a letter about why I chose to have them and how they changed my life would be different.  Dear Gavin, Greyson and future baby boy due in January.  Really first off I am glad to be your mom.  And I am sorry for all the bad parenting decisions I have already made with you or will make in the future.  You are only 4, 2 and not even here yet and so we have a long way to go with each other.  Also, I wish you would be nicer to each other.  I know that this is something that every parent wants for their kids and maybe eventually you will get there, but right now, the fighting is killing me.  We are all we have forever (besides Grandmas and Grandpas and Aunts and Uncles and that family), and also your future family, but we need to be good and nice to each other.  We have to spend eternity with each other so let’s start making the most of it now!

You all have changed my life in so many ways.  With you I feel like my heart is walking around with you outside my body and I hope and pray for you every day that you get the best that you need and deserve out of life every day.  I know I work full-time and am not always there for you, but you are making it and learning things every day, so really you aren’t struggling too much.  Before I had you we used to say that our kids would be perfect and never do anything wrong, (story of every parent’s life) but having you changed that ideal so much and I have grown more patient because of each of you and your unique lives and personalities you have brought to our family.  I wouldn’t change anything about any of you for anything.  I love you all the way you are and for what you are and who you will become.

I hope one day you grow up, and find someone to be with to share a family with.  I haven’t really thought much at all about becoming a grandparent because I am still carrying your baby brother, but I hope one day you get to experience parenthood and all the joys and heartbreaks that come with it, because there is no way to describe it other and living it and feeling it.  I hope that being a grandparent it a little bit sweeter than being a parent.  We need to be rewarded in some way for raising you 3 little guys.

I hope you boys know how much I love you and how much me working outside the home, and going to school is really for you boys.  I need to help with our family income and would like to better myself through school for you boys.  I am sacrificing now so we will be better off later.  I cherish the times we spend together and love the things we do together.  I love everything you tell me about your day and all the kisses, snuggles and loves.  I love you boys and hope you know I am always proud of you!  Love, Mom.

Reflective: This was an emotional paper.  While I have written letters to my boys before, I guess I tried to let it all out here.  I am planning on posting this to my blog so we can have it in the future for them and they can read it in the future.  Parenthood changes everything about everything.  You aren’t alone anymore and for some people that is what they always wanted.  Others don’t want that and that is their decision but I wouldn’t trade my decision for anything.  I can’t imagine my life without my kids.  I can’t wait to see them when I get home from work every day and we plan to do fun things together on the weekends so we can spend time together and we try to cherish our time we have together.  I look forward to the future and what it will be for us.

Happy Birthday Gavin

Today is your birthday, shout hooray!  I can't believe you are 4 years old.  Time has gone by so fast and you are learning and growing so much.  You love Sunbeams, preschool, dance class, your music class you were in and going to the babysitters house.  You like your movies and TV shows and to sing and dance to music.  You are so (mostly) good with your little brother and a big helper to me and dad. Thank you so much, so are great and I can't wait to see what this next year will bring you!  Love you so much and so proud of you!

Love, Mom

Happy Birthday Gavin!

Happy 3rd Birthday Gavin! I can't believe that it has been 3 years since you arrived into our lives. What a smart, funny, happy, loving, proud little guy you are! We are so lucky to have you in our lives. We have had a lot of ups and downs, laughs, temper tantrums, fun and live in these 3 years and we are so excited to see what is going to come next. Hopefully this fall we will get you into preschool so you can learn lots more. I hope we can just watch your personality grow and see you learn even more as you continue to progress.

You are the best big brother ever. You were made to be a big brother and I am glad we had the opportunity to give you a little brother, someone you can share things with and be friends with. I hope you guys will grow together and be great friends your whole life.

This year we are going to work on your temper tantrums. I probably think they are worse and happen way more then they probably really do, but we need to figure out a way to communicate with each better so the temper tantrums become less and less.

You are such a happy (most of the time) little guy and we are so excited to be on this journey of life and learning with you. Remember, Mom & Dad love you alway and forever! Thank you for choosing us and coming into our family. You help complete our family and we can't imagine our lives without you. We love you so much and look forward to teaching you and leading you and helping you grow all while learing and growing from you! Happy 3rd Birthday Little Guy, we hope it is the BEST YEAR YET!

Love, Mom & Dad

2 Years Old

Happy Birthday to my little Monkey. I can't believe you are 2 years old today. It has been a wild yet rewarding ride for us and hopefully for you too! We are so lucky to have you in our lives and look forward to many many more years to come of enjoying every minute with you. You have come a long way in 2 years with many new things to learn and enjoy to come! We love you, are so proud of you and are excited to share the next step in your journey with you! Thanks for choosing us as your eternal family! We wouldn't want it any other way! Love you so much!

Mom & Dad

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GAVIN

Happy 1st Birthday my sweet little Monkey!

We love you so much & we are so glad that you decided to choose us for your eternal family. The last year has been filled with ups & downs, highs & lows, lots of new things, learning from both of our ends, love, happiness, sickness...basically filled with lots of things. It is funny & so true how they say you can't picture your life with a child until you have one & you can't picture your life without a child once you have one. I don't even remember our lives without you in it. It has been a tough road, but we have made it this far. I didn't even think I was going to make it the first 6 weeks, but here we are, moving on to the next chapter of our lives.

You are such a great baby. You do have a slight temper, but who doesn't? Most of the time you have made Motherhood easy for me! There have been times I haven't known what to do or what was going on with you, but we have learned from these experiences. You have learned so much which I have tried my hardest to document in our family blog. It is so fun to look back over the past year & see what you were doing. Hopefully one day I can take all these posts & make them into a book for you. You still have so much more to learn & accomplish & we can't wait to see what's next.

You are surrounded by so much love. Your dad & I love you so much. Your grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, family, neighbors, babysitter love you so much! Remember that we are always here for you if you ever need us.

We love you & thank you for choosing us! We can't wait to see what the next year will bring for you & us! Happy Birthday our cute Little Guy! Here is to many many more birthdays!

Love

Mom & Dad