Dear Evan 4 Years +1 Month

Hi there buddy!
I am officially going to years now...no more months. I looked at you today. You were running after Dara at airplane park and I was overwhelmed to look at you. You have grown so much. Your body is a boy body-no more baby at all. You have long legs and can run super fast. You can ride your bike and climb and do most everything physical any boy would want to do. You have no limits only a desire to learn and play and make things. You have a wonderful smile and love life. You are a beautiful boy and I am so proud of you.

You are so into Math it is incredible. You count all the time. We will be driving down the road and I can hear you counting in the backseat. You have an interest now about time and how it works. Tonight you started asking me how to spell certain things. You repeated all the spelling after me. You are really starting to understand words and how they are made up of letters. It was amazing to hear you spell and I couldn't help myself but fast forward a few years from now when I am helping you prep for a spelling test.

You are very articulate and can tell me what you need or want or feel. I stand amazed at how you communicate to me daily. You test your power with me now more and more. I love to give you what you want but that wouldn't make you into the better person I know you will be. You will thank me later! You love to cuddle and have such pride when you help me. You told me lastnight that you can't wait for us to move. I was amazed as I have been waiting to move because of the change with Dada moving out. I thought it would make you the most secure by staying still in the home you know. But apparently there is no reason to stay! You love the idea of a yard and a garage. You told me you want a place to park the car inside a garage. I think you want more space to play too. I can't wait to give you this and now will begin the house hunting! Sarah picks you up from school twice a week and you seem to really like her. She is wonderful. You like school and are learning so much. They have a vegetable garden there that has broccoli. You get to pick it and eat it with olive oil. Your teacher Clara cannot believe how much you love broccoli. You really love vegetables and fruit more than anything. You are still obsessed with chocolate milk. You have been like that since you were around two and discovered it! You still love your trucks more than anything. You keep talking about what kind of truck you want to order from Santa next year. Tonight it was a wrecking ball crane. "Mama, do you know how to make yellow paint?" "No, E tell me...." "Well...you take lemons and squeeze them then you take some honey and mix it up. That is how you make yellow paint". You love to tell me why things are the way they are. You love to create those solutions. You like to teach me things. You have quite a bit of frustration as of late. You get really angry and I have to give you time outs. I place you in your room until you settle down and can speak nicely and we can work on a solution together. Today we started a reward chart to help you understand the importance of acting in the appropriate way. I hope this will help us make some jumps in the attitude because you want what you want and won't get out of the cycle until you cry for 20-40 minutes. Not just crying. Screaming. You like me to measure you. You ask for me to do that often. You love the idea of getting bigger. You have an amazing memory. You remembered today a conversation we had about you being 10 years old and can sit in the front seat with me. You talk about what you want to be when you grow up. Today it was a crane operator. You have a constant push and pull within you about being a big boy and still being a baby. You want me around all the time and then you will get mad and say you want to do it by yourself.

I love you more than words can say. I feel so lucky to be your mama and you bring me more joy everyday than I could ever imagine having in my lifetime. Thank you!

I love you.

M

My 4th Birthday Party!

This sign was your pride and joy of the day. You loved it and picked it out to display for your party.
Cakes are serious business in our family! We love a good cake and this one is by far the most tasty and beautifully represented than I think I have ever seen. You were thrilled! We started your birthday as farm theme and then by request it went to construction trucks. The theme became construction trucks and farm animals!

You are such a good helper!
Waiting for your guests to arrive!

We had your party at "New Gym" (as you call it!). You love the place. They awarded you a medal for being the birthday boy.




Happy Fourth Birthday E!

Dear Evan-40 Months Old

Dear Evan-
Today you told me you want to be a fireman when you grow up. I was hoping for a doctor (smile). It will be so fun to see what you chose! If you are happy I am happy! My hope is that I provide exposure to so many different things, people and places that you feel that the world is yours. That you will have the confidence and experience to really know what you want to do and go for it! Life is really about believing in yourself and your capabilities and I want nothing more than for you to have a confidence in yourself that you can do anything you set your heart to do.

You speak so well now. Every now in then it dawns on me how much you communicate. It isn't necessarily the number of words (although that is amazing) it is the vocabulary you use and how you use it that is amazing. You use the words "me" for you now and never refer to yourself anymore as "baby". It is always "Evan" or "me".

Today Dada left to go to work and closed the door behind him. You looked up at me and said," I love Dada. He's my best friend". This past week you have been making comments about your friends more and more. You said," Sofia and Dara are my best friends". I like that you are expressing how you feel and who matters to you most. Your school is out for two weeks. We went to San Diego for a day and went to see Grandma and Grandpa. We had a great time with G + G. You are such a great traveler. You really love being on an airplane. G+G made everything so special for us. They had a sandbox ready for you and a new bike!

I have noticed lately that you are more comfortable walking by yourself than being carried. You like to still be carried but in a very sudtle way you are starting to just walk on your own and not ask to be carried as much. You love to run and are really fast. You find joy in running, skipping, hopping and jumping. You love to show me what you can do. "Watch Mama!".

More and more you are exoressing your emoitions by lashing out. You hit and push people out of the way. We keep trying to expalin that it is better to use your words than your hands. I think it is difficult for you as you are trying to make sense out of so much that is going around you. Other kids push and take things from you so it is hard to understand that you shouldn't react the same way. Today you told me I should stop talking because you were talking. You also expressed a concern because I wasn't listening. The sad thing was you were right. I was not giving you the full attention that you deserve. I told you that and apologized. I love that you could tell me how you feel and ask me to make it better for you. It has always been so important to me that I teach you how to express your needs and concerns well so that you can acknowledge those for yourself. I think this is so difficult for people and it doesn't have to be. Ultimately I think it will help you be a happier person because you will know yourself well and have respect for what you need and know how to ask for it.

You still love trucks more than anything. They are your absolute favorite thing. Tinker Toys are by far the toy of choice right now. You build so many machines with them. Not only do you design and build machines but will provide an elaborate explanation of what kind of machine it is and what it can do.

You like things just so. You have a sense of order to everything. You like your food plain-no sauce. You like it when we drive the same route. If we switch it up you will ask why we are driving this way. You seem to not like change very well or appreciate a heads up if we are going to change it up a bit. You like to know what is expected. I am the same way my dear son. You like to know what is going to happen in the morning when we wake up and will often give me the blow by blow of our day.

I love you so much!
Mama

Dear Evan-39 Months Old

Dear E-
You got to see snow for the first time this month! You love it! You carried around the snow scraper from the car for most of the trip. You liked to walk through the streets of Park City wiping off the snow on the gates, fences and walls. We took you tubing and we made a snow man. It was a great trip together.

You are well potty trained and sleep through the night. Your bedtime is between 8-9pm and your usually sleep until 6:30-7:30am. You still love chocolate milk. It is your favorite food. You found hot chocolate this snow trip and enjoyed a few cups with marshmallows on top. You like to cook and enjoy creating something in the kitchen with M or me. Meleana is such a part of our lives now. You love her and really have fun together. It has been nice to have her one day a week to keep you guys connected since school started. But she is really much more than that she loves you and loves to hang out with you. If we didn't see her weekly I know she would be calling to come see you. You matter that much to her.

You like to create things. It is more than just making a pretty picture. You enjoy thinking about systems and how things work. You made a machine out of tinker-toys and explained that it takes in pee pee and makes it into new water. On one side the new water shoots out into a concrete mixer. Then there was a place on it where a ticket shoots out and then comes back again.

Each day after school we go to my studio for a snack. It has become a ritual for us. As soon as I meet you at the gate you will ask to go to the studio. I love the life we have and I love that you and I have our lives so intertwined by having my studio and your school so close. This is how it should be! I hope we are always like this is some way. I like that I can share the things I do and that you are around creative process and work. I see you taking it all in and filtering it into your mind like a sponge. You love to play with all of my tape measures and use my kraft paper as a large waterfall.

We started a new gymnastics gym. You love it and call it "New Gym". You ask almost everyday if we are going there. I cannot go into the gym with you and for the first time you just say bye and run off to your class. You love it so much!

You are so fun. I love being with you and seeing the world through your eyes. You are a wonderful boy and I am always so proud of you.

Love you.
Mama

Dear Evan-38 Months

Dear Little Guy-
We talk together all the time and I must tell you how much I love to hear you talk. We talk alot in the car about street signs and other cars and trucks. You will ask me, "Mama what is inside that truck?". What I have found is you don't want me to tell you what is inside you want me to ask YOU what is inside the truck. The answers you give me are hilarous! You will say ice cream, kitty cats or some wonderful imaginative idea.

You are building a strong identity and request often for "No help Momma" or "I do it myself". Once you have finished the task you will smile and acknowledge that you did indeed do it yourself. I love to see your true pride in making things happen for yourself. It is a wonderful thing!

We wake up in the morning and we usually talk about what to expect from the day. I have done this with you since you were born. But now, you do it for me. You love to narrate all that we have in store for the day and the order in which we will do things. After you will ask, "Do you like that idea? Momma, Do you like that idea?".

You like to tell me what is your favorite. Favorite things or song. In the car a song will come on and you will say, "Momma, that is my favorite song in the whole world". You like the Beetles alot! You like Disco and seem to be draw to more hip-hop and happy songs than sad, mellow ones.

You know most of your numbers and letters. In fact, you know more than I think you do and you are always surprising me with this new found knowledge. You know there are larger numbers and have begun using them. I will ask how many books we should read at night and you will say, "49". I love that is the number that pops out of your head. :) You have known your colors and shapes now for a long time. We started working on mixing paints and learning what happens when you add white or black too. This fascinated you. You have really taken to painting.

Your speech has excelled at such a fast pace. You use pronouns now and speak about yourself in first person. No more "Baby". It is "Evan" or "Me" or "I".

You don't take naps anymore. You started to drop them when you turned three. I think you would take them but it wouldn't happen until alomost 5pm and that doesn't make it too easy on any of us for you to go to bed at a decent hour. So-you don't take a nap and seem fine doing so until you go to bed around 8pm. You have been fully potty trained now since Thanksgiving. You do so well with it. I stand in amazement at how truly ready you were and how we just followed your lead and you did it all by yourself.

We have a game together. I will say something like, " I am a dump truck!" And E will say, "No, I am a dump truck!" and I will say if you are a dump truck then I am a cement mixer!". He will say, "No, I am a cement mixer!" and laugh and laugh. We will do this and do this....it cracks us up and we get so silly with the choices of the things we are. We make jokes this way all the time. E will say he wants to push the button for the elevator and I will make a huge scene and say, "NO I WANT TO PUSH THE BUTTON!". He will laugh and say, "No I will do it!". We go back and forth like that.

We are going to go see snow soon. It will be your first time. You are so excited to go. All you want to do is eat some! Today you asked me if you could go fishing in the snow.

I love you my dear son.

Love,

Your Momma

Dear Evan-37 Months Old

My dearest E,
You have such a heart. A heart for people and a heart for life. You love to know how things work and love to ask what things do and what they are about.

Lately, you have been so into asking me about street signs. You will see one out the window in the car. You specifically like to talk about the "Do Not Enter" signs or the "Wrong Way" signs. I know you recognize them and always ask about them. You have such a great sense of direction. I don't know why I would think that while you are so young you wouldn't recognize where we are. It started with a game in the car of "Is that where I live?". We would joke as we got close that we lived in different buildings, trees or even cars. One of us will ask a if we live in some random spot and the other will laugh and say, "Noooo" as if we know we are being so silly to even suggest such a thing. We went to a grocery store today and you said when we parked. "What is this grocery?" We don't usually go to this one but we go to like three different ones usually so I didn't think going from a norm would matter. But you noticed right away. You even noticed during our route there and said, "Momma? Where are you taking me?". Slowly the word "baby" is going away. You have spoken about yourself as "baby" and not used "me" and now that is slowly changing and you can use "me" as a reference to yourself.

Your favorite toys right now are still trucks. You are amazing with puzzles. You can pretty much do any puzzle by yourself the first time. You love to play in the sink or tub. You can spend so much time doing either of those things. You have taken to TV. There are definitely shows you love to watch and will ask for them now. I have tried so hard to keep you from much TV. You are just so aware now that you know it is available. Dada and I still limit your TV viewing to 1-2 shows a day (30 minutes or less). We do on occasion watch a movie as a family now. We have watched a few Disney movies. Your first movie was "Walle". You call it the robot movie. You are fascinated with space and rockets. You see a picture of Earth and will say that is where you live. "Momma, that is Earth. Evan lives there".

Preschool started this month. You go everyday M-F but only for 3 hours. You are within steps of my studio door and I feel so fortunate that you can be so close to me daily. We drive there together and then when it is time to pick you up I can walk down and get you and we can drive home together.

I love life with you.

Love,
Momma

Dear Evan-36 Months Old

Evan,

You are three! I cannot believe it. I look back over this blog and see all of my letters and I can't believe three years has gone by. You make time go by so fast with all of the joy you bring to me and Dada. We are so proud of you!

This has been a full-packed month. First of all you potty trained yourself all in one day. We have been working on it for a couple of months. But the Sunday after Thanksgiving, you woke up and said, "Mama, no more diapers. Underwear". So-that is what we have done. I had no idea the night before would be my last diaper change with you. The first three nights I used pullups on you (thinner, pull-down style diaper". On the third night, you said, "Mama, no pull ups. Underwear." Do you know what? You don't need them. All you need is underwear. We had a few night time accidents but not very many. You sleep through the night and use only underwear. You are so proud of yourself. It was an amazing experience to watch you do all of this. You are getting to be such a big boy.

You like to test your boundries and will often tell us what you would like to have us do. You will say, "Dada play with me. Mama come and watch". You crack us up. You love to play and want to play all of the time. You love your trucks and trains the most. You love playing someone gets hurt and needs to go to the hospital. We will play that over and over again. You are getting good on your Skuut bike and wear a helmet now. You are getting so fast. You have excellent balance. We still go to My Gym and I think it has been good for you to learn so many physical things. You love the trampaline. You like to close your bedroom door to keep me inside. You will place my yoga brick on the inside of the door as a barrier. It is priceless!

Our days consist of waking up between 7-8am. Breakfast and then watch Thomas. Two times a week you spend the day with Dada. Three mornings 9-1pm you spend with Meleana. I am with you all weekend and everyday after 1pm. It has really worked for us. You are going to start to preschool Jan 3rd. We went to a holiday program there this past week. You were nervous and held on to me tightly. You hid your face in my chest. I kept you on my lap. Then, Sofia came out and all of the kids started to sing. Sofia came over and got you and brought you up to sing and ring bells. You did. It was fun to see you enjoying being with all of those kids. It is a precious place and I am so happy we can go there. I hope it will be an absolute joy for you and a wonderful foundation for school. It is steps away from my studio so now you and I can go to "work" together each day. You will be there from 9-1 and I will pick you up and we will go home together at 1pm. It is so perfect. I feel so lucky and I really wanted a place where we could walk together there. That is what we have!

We had your thrid birthday at the carousel at the SM pier. You love that place so much. It was such a great party. I think you had so much fun. All of your piglet friends came to give you their wishes and it was truly a celebration!!

I love you my sweet son. You are a constant joy in my life. I am forever thankful for you.

Mama

Dear Evan-35 Months Old

Hello buddy!
We have had such a month. It has been so much fun and we have meet new people and done so many new things. We went to the "rock beach" as we now call it. It is down in OC. You loved it and loved meeting our new friend's that Sally introduced us. It is a wonderful place and we spent hours all together sitting on a rocky beach playing with rocks and drift wood. You still love fire fighters and everything about them. You would take piece of the wood and stick them up into the sand. You did this with many pieces until you had a bout 6-7 sticking up altoghther in one place. You then held one and pretended it to be a microphone that you could yell into. "On my way!", you screamed pretending to be a fireman on the way to a fire. We now have huge conversations about all sorts of things. You love to play and want to play all the time. "Mama, play with me?". I will miss this so much one day and try to play with you all the time.

Your speech is getting so much more sophisticated with your expression and humor. I will ask you to do something and you will say, "Not right now" or "in a minute". You notice everything and will tell us if something is not right. For example, you like to mix your play-doh colors but when it is time to put them away you will see the colors are mixed and say, "That's not right?". This month is the first month you started asking "Why?". The first time it happened I had to smile and thought here we go!

You love Thomas and your trains. You will place the train together and then tell me what is inside each of the cars. There is an "oil" car, one for carrying "Kitty cats" and the other is for popcorn.

I had to go away for a week this month. It was hard on the both of us. Grandma came to stay with you and it was so nice for you to have both her and Dada in my place. I missed you so much and did not want to be away. It was for work and I had to go so far away. It was a sweet homecoming though! You understood what was going on and knew I was coming home that night. You fell asleep before I could get home but that next morning I heard, "Mama?". We were both so happy to be together again. We have this saying when I have to leave. We say "Tiny work" on the days you stay with Meleana or even when you are with Dada. Now we also say " all day" meaning Mama is staying home all day and there is no work. You will often ask this of me the night before or when we get up in the morning. It is so sweet. You like to know what to expect.

Potty training is going so well. I think you are almost there! You always tell us when you have to go. If I can only get you to wear underwear now. But all in your time! You will let us know when you want to do it.

I love you my sweet boy.

Forever,
Mama

Dear Evan-34 Months Old

Dear Evan,
Wow. You are growing fast! You are getting so tall. You tower over other kids your own age. That will be a wonderful thing for you as you get older. You are so much fun. You understand everything. Absolutely everything and your communication now is unbelievable. I think we have had a spurt on that developmently this past month. Daddy and I both agree that in the past few weeks you went from "talking" to "communicating" and really using huge sentences and comments on everything! Last night we were at the "Duck Park" (You now call this the "AFLECK" park!) I was speaking to you about how you are growing so fast and you are going to be three. You looked down from up on the playground equipment and said," Yep. It is almost my birthday!".

We have a pretty structured week now. Daddy is home with you Mondays. Meleana is with you Tuesday morning till 1pm then I am home the rest of the day. Wednesdays are me and Meleana again. Thursdays are Daddy and then Friday are me and Meleana again. I am so happy that I can only work the two full days and all the rest half says so I can be home with you. This is such a special time and it is fleeting. I want to make the most of our time together while you are still little. The weekends are you and me "together all day. No work!". That is what you ask me when I arrive home as it makes you so happy that I don't have to leave anymore.

You are getting really good on your balance bike. You are still going to gym class. You LOVE it there. The other day you were sitting on the floor and showed me how you can do a "table" and a "chair". Very impressive. I miss going with you but I am thrilled you can still go with Meleana.

You have taken to your own bed and room nicely. You love it. You sleep pretty much through the night now which is so nice for both of us. You still take about a two hour nap most days. You love chocolate milk. It is your absolute favorite food and "noodles" too. You eat well though and will eat up as much fruit as I give to you. You love broccoli and brussel sprouts too.

You still love water. If I could just have a backyard with a hose you would be thrilled all day long. We go to the park at least one a day. You love to run and will giggle while doing your racing all through the park. You are such a good climber. You have excellent balance.

You are cuious about school. There is a preschool at the end of my alley at the studio. Ironically, Sofia goes there. We are hoping necxt year you will go too. It would be amazing to have you so close to me and still be able to attend such a special school. You will point at it when we walk by and say, "Evan go there too?!".

You love blocks now. You like to place them under baskets so that it tilts to one side. One side it up and one side is on the floor. You like to play doctor. You have a doctor kit and will bring it and ask if we have a "boo boo". You like to place band-aids on your stuffed animals. You will tell me they have a fever after you take their temperature.

You know your birthday is coming and will tell people so. "How old are you?" Someone will ask. You will say, "Two. Almost three". Halloween is coming up too. I have been asking you what you want to be and you will either say a fireman or an astronaut. Recently it has been more about an astronaut so that is what it will be!

This month you tell me that you love me. I really believe you know what it means too. Tonight we were walking back from dinner and you were in your stroller. I heard you little voice coming from beneath the hood. "Mama? Hold my hand?". I reached down and took your hand and said how much I love you. You looked at me and then touched my face and said, "I love you too!".

You are the best. I love you more than words can ever say. It is fun to walk life with you and see all that you are learning each month. You are so smart. Dada and I are blown away with your absorption of knowledge and your vocabulary. It is all truly amazing.

Mama

Dear Evan-33 Months Old

Dear Evan-
It is so much fun to play with you. You like to play trucks with Daddy and me more than anything. You will request us to come into your room and play trucks. This usually means we each have one car and we will make them talk to one another. Then we will pretend that we are going to the park or the beach. If we go to the park will pretend to go down a slide or ride in a swing, "Wee-Oh" "Wee-Oh".

You are really into playing with older kids now. You seek them out and actually they seek you out too. It is fun to see you have real play with other kids. This month I have heard kids approach you and ask your name. You will shout "Evan" really proudly back at them with a smile. You love to chase and be chased. You try everything. If I tell you that we can't do something as we are about to leave, etc. you will look up at me quite seriously and say "Try?". I have to smile and what can I say to that but yes? It is amazing that your grasp that concept so well.

The Piglets have started to turn three. It is amazing to think that a few months from now you will be three too. We went to James birthday party. I saw that big "3" on the cake and I just can't believe how fast all of this time has passed.

Evan what is your favorite food? "chocolate milk"
Evan what is your favorite animal? "fish"
What is your favorite Truck? "firetruck"
What do you want to be for Halloween? "FIREMAN" or sometimes he will say proudly "Astronaut"(He has been into space lately).

He will identify the planet Earth and then say, "Baby lives there!". He has gone through some kind of word growth spurt as he is talking now so much. He says multiple sentences and things that you would never know he knows...you realize he knows. The past two weeks have been huge with this development.

He loves to count. He will count up to almost twenty by himself. I haven't realy pushed the ABCs or Numbers as I know all of that will come. But he has shown such interest in numbers I can't help but encourage him in his counting. I bought him play money. He has taken an interest into "selling" ice cream. He will stick "money" through the headrest from the backseat of the car and say, "Ice cream please?". It has been a fun game while we hang out in the car. A game that was totally made up and created by you. You have a great imagination and are always making up little scenarios. We still play the "help me" scenario alot but now you add to it more. You love playing with his play kitchen now more than ever. I also bought you a doctor kit that you love to play with in "helping people". You see a "boo boo" truck and will call it out and then always say, "help people". You have a good heart and I love that about you. That is something that cannot be taught but only modeled and truly you just were brought onto this earth with one.

We went to Portland this month. You got to ride the airplane again. You are a fantastic traveler. It is so wonderful as I want to take you so many place. Lately-you have been asking about snow. This Winter we are taking you to the snow! I cannot wait for you to experience it.

I love you more than words can say.

Your Mama


Love,
Mama

Dear Evan-32 Months Old

Dear Evan-
It has been a big month for you. You are now in a big boy bed all by yourself. It was a pretty easy adjustment for you as you love your new bed. You and I have talked about it for months. You were consistent in telling me you wanted a blue bed. You know have a mini-bunk bed that is white and blue. You love it so much. It has an "upstairs" and a "downstairs". You like to be upstairs and throw your stuffed animals down on top of us below. Your room is now all set up and has a place for everything. You spend hours in there playing. It has been such a great thing. You will go and play by yourself now and close the door. It is fun to see you finding your independence.

You have so much to say now. Your 2-3 word sentences have become longer sentences but also sentences strung together. You can explain things work. You love to read truck books and see the trucks in action. Tonight you pointed to a steam roller and said that it was very hot work. I ask you why and you said that the asphalt made it very hot but later cars will drive on it. You love trucks of all shapes and sizes but your very favorite thing right now are jackhammers. Grandpa Ben bought you one when he was here visiting this month. It make sounds and is a true mini-jackhammer. Just your size. You love it. We play baseball now and we have watched two movies together. We watched "Wall-E" and "Cars". You loved both of them and were so sad when they were over. It is fun to show you movies and watch them together.

You spend three mornings a week with Meleana now. You have really bonded with her. She plays with you and we have a good routine together. I think now that we have this routine you have adjusted much better to everything. When she arrives we all have breakfast together and then I give you a "tiny push". Which means I push the stroller out to the front next to a tree and then we kiss goodbye. You seem to find this a perfect way to part and always say goodbye happily and move into your day with Meleana.I love that I can work but that I have most of the day with you. I work 9-1 and then I am home to help you with nap and to play trucks. That is what you say all the time now "Play trucks?". You also like to say "What's your trick?". Which cracks us up. So we do funny faces and jump up and down. Your trick is always a somersault. You love doing them! You like to say "Mama watch this!". And when I do I find something new and amazing skill that you are experimenting or just playing.

I love you so much E.

Mama

Dear Evan-31 Months Old

Dear E!
It has been a fun month full of words and numbers. You like to count. You actually seem to like numbers more than words or show more interest in counting. I will hear you counting to yourself. I have heard you count up to 13 all by yourself.

We bought you a bike this month and are working on setting up your room. It is going to be so nice to have a place set up just for you. I love the thought of having a place that we can put everything away and you can have good access to all of your toys.

We go to the beach so much. You love it there. You will run and jump and giggle. You can use all of the pay equipment now and stand easily up on the dome all by yourself. You love to stand up on rocks and balance. We put you in the higher up gym class and it is a structured class where you have to wait with the other kids in your group to take turns in doing different gymnastic tricks. It is fun to see you try to do these new skills.

You love to build forts and we often do on our sofa. There are many types of forts. Tunnel fort, tiny fort, big fort and funny fort. You like it when I bring all of your stuffed animals out too and place them inside the fort.

You are so into cars and trucks. You will see different cars are trucks and can identify them usually by name. You see a VW bug and say with a smile "Funny car!".

You are so much fun and it is so great to have conversations with you.

I love you so much!
M

Dear Evan-30 Months Old

Dear E
You are 30 months old today. I cannot believe that you are two and a half! Where is the time going? So much has happened this past month and I cannot wait to tell you all the things you have been busy doing.

You are talking up a storm. I feel bad as you are now saying so much that there are times I don't have any idea what you are saying and I have to ask you to repeat your question or thought. A few months ago I could stay on top of all of your words and pretty much knew all the time what you were saying but now you increase your vocabulary so much each day that it makes me struggle to know what you are trying to tell me. Sometimes you just smile when I cam guessing incorrectly or you will just look at me and say, "Noooo!" Your language is now quickly becoming sentences after sentences not many one word comments are left. The other night we were at the beach house and drove home. When we reached the alley you said from the back seat, "No home. Noodles. Restaurant." Your Daddy and I just left and we kept driving and took us out to eat. You love to be out and always let us know when you don't want to go back home yet. But this was the clearest you have ever spoken to us in terms of what you wanted to do. You love being home too and there are times where you tell me, "No outside. Stay home now".

You are becoming more and more physically able in so many ways. You climb rope ladders all by yourself and can hang with both arms off of monkeybars. You can even pull your knees into your chest while you are hanging. You jump and skip and dance like there is no tomorrow! All of these things you have been doing for a while but recently they all look so effortless and you do them all on your own without any suggestion from us. You know your capabilities and are growing very quickly confident of them so much so that you place yourself in new challenges and try to figure them each out on your own with your body.

You are becoming curious about going potty on the toilet but we are not there yet. You watched yur friend Isabel use the toilet and that made you more curious but after a few days of sitting on the "Toto" at home the curiousity died. We will see when it comes back. You ask all kinds of questions about body functions. You are so intelligent and really want to know how the body and things work. You proudly told our neighbor Holly the other day that food goes into your mouth and into your belly and then it goes around and around. Then it goes out the bottom to make poo poo.

We have Meleana two mornings a week. You are becoming more attached to her and don't seem to mind when I leave and she takes care of you. This summer I am slower with work and really want to spend time with you as much as I can. She is with you usually no more than four hours a day and then I come home and you take a nap and then get up and play later in the afternoon. Daddy is home with you two whole days a week. It is a good schedule and it is fun to see you hang out with everyone. You love our neighbors as they have all taken such interest in you. Brad, Holly, Monica and now Mark from upstairs. You will call to him from the bottom of the stairs for him to come play with you. Let's not forget to mention Anna the cat. You love her and will go call for her too outside her door.

You love to paint. You ask to paint often. We usually use plain water and many brushes. I have been adding in one color to the water so you get good at mixing and learning about the chemistry of it all. Your favorite thing right now to do is play with the mulch in the courtyard with your trucks. You have a couple of diggers and a dumptruck. You keep busy for hours.

Your absolute favorite food/drink is chocolate milk. You ask for it multiple times a day. We have to limit your milks to two small ones a day or you won't drink anything else. You have your goods days with food but usually you are too busy to care to eat. I think you love noodles right now the most and applesauce. I buy a squeezable one from TJ's and you love to drink it out of its package. You are into treats now. You understand what a treat is and will request one from time to time. Specifically a "chocolate treat". You are a boy after my own heart!

This past month you went to St Barths with me on a business trip. It was so great for you to swim everyday and see such beauty. We had a nice yard for you to play with a garden hose and all kinds of rocks. I took you to all different beaches. You loved the one that had many rocks that you could throw into the water. It was so fun to get you a passport at two years old and expose you to the world outside of our regular existance. You are an amazing traveller. We have been home for well over a week and you still ask about our "new home". We also went to SF last month and you had the same reaction to living somewhere new. You called the house (hotel) "new home" and our rental car "new car". When I asked you what home you liked better. "New home" or "Old Home" (SM) you answered, "Old home". Phew. That was a relief! Your schedule stayed the same when we traveled and you were happy to come home too. You seem to have a very flexible disposition and enjoy the new experiences.

You are so friendly. You say "hi" to everyone. If they don't say 'hi" back you watch them for a while and then go back to whatever it was you were doing. You are one happy kid. It is so much fun to be with you. I love to see how much you love music and dancing too. We watch a show called "Yo Gabba Gabba". You love it and it encourages your love for music and dance.

Your favorite thing to play with is the vacuum hose. You play with it as a fireman's hose and you and I run through the courtyard with our fireman hats and put out fires. You take it with you in the bath and all over the house. It is the best toy EVER!

Thank you for being my son. I love you more than words can ever say.

Love,
Mama

Dear Evan-27 Months Old

Dear Evan-
My baby boy...I started calling you that a lot this month and now you say "Baby Boy". I also have called you "Buddy" since you were born. You are not a baby boy anymore. Tonight and many times recently I have neighbors and friends reminding me how you are such a boy now and no longer a baby. I know I sound like your Mommy when I make this statement but you will always be my baby. I am shocked and how tall and grown you are and I can't believe how much you know and can communicate. You can say so much now. It is only months from now you will be saying clear full sentences. I find that you say so much now that sometimes I can't follow you as you can say words that I had no idea you know. I try so hard to keep up!

This week you rode on one of those razor scooters for the first time. You knew exactly how to do it without any assistance. You have a great physical ability. You are strong and have excellent balance. You find interest in beauty and nature. You sit still and stare up at the trees or will notice the moon. I love that you take interest in the beautiful world around you.

Our days are different now. I am more busy with work and we have found a woman named "Meela" that stays will you a couple of mornings a week. She is from Hawaii and can speak fluent French. I have encouraged her to speak to you in French as a second language is such a gift to be had. I found out today that I have a business trip coming up and I am going to take you and Meela with me. There is no way I can leave you yet. I feel so lucky that I can work and do something that I love but not be very far from you or away very long. I like that we have found a new friend for you. You seem to really like her and have a good time together.

We haven't started potty training yet. I am just letting the time present itself when you are ready. It is crazy to think that is our next big thing...

You can get in and out of the car all by yourself now. It started almost a month ago when we would arrive to the car and you would say "Baby" (as in baby wants to do it). So-I let you and would sometimes help. But now you do it all.

You and Dada play frisbee now and you are pretty good at stopping it with your hands. You love park time with Dada as he pushes you so high up in the swing that you touch the trees. He really climbs all over with you.

I can feel the time of you being small erasing in front of my eyes. Today I got a real glimpse into you really being your own person and having a life outside of me. You were at a chalk board in a new frozen yogurt place up the street. You were with another boy possibly 4 years old. You were trying really hard to offer him a sppon. The boy didn't want it. You kept trying and trying and the boy just shook his head. You then took the eraser and started erasing the chalkboard. The boy took it from you. You just looked at him and then observed him erasing. I don't know what it was about this little scenerio that was so different than others but I saw something different in you. Y

You share really well. There are times where you want something others have but when you have something you are pretty good and letting others share it.

Your absolute favorite thing on the planet is chocolate milk. "Cheetchock!"

I love you sweet boy!

Mommy

Dear Evan-26 Months Old

Dear Evan-
Life with you is amazing It is so much fun to watch you learn so many new things. I think the thing I like most right now is watching you challenge yourself physically. You can do so much now. You are all over the playground. You slide down backwards or on your knees. You will slide down backwards and then get to the end of the slide and say "Oh no!" and fall off the slide and giggle. You love to be pushed up high on the swing. You get frustrated when we don't push you up high enough. You still love trucks of all shapes and sizes.

We stay busy you and I. I love the days best when we have nothing to do but just hang out with each other and go to the park.

I love you more than words can say.

M

Dear Evan 25 Months

Hello there!

This month has been wonderful. You are learning so much. I cannot even come close to writing all that is happening with you. You are talking so much now. You know so many words. It amazes me everyday the things you know to say. You are still speaking pretty much in one word commands but every now and then you say two words together. I continue to be amazed at your comprehension of language and know without any doubt that you understand everything I say. You show such enthusiasm for so many subjects and ideas. Daddy was talking to you about the sun one night and you were mesmerized by the thought of it being a ball of fire and that is raises up in the morning and sets at night. For days you talked about what Daddy told you. If you see the sun today you will make a ball shape with your hands and tell me how hot it is. Not only do you understand words and concepts but you tease now too. You are showing such a sense of humor! I will ask you what your name is and you will say "Mama!" and laugh. And I will question and say, "Really your name is 'Mama'?!" Then we both laugh and laugh.

You know some letters now:"O", "B" and "T" and you know how to count to three. You know that there are more numbers than three and will sometimes count to four or show five fingers for the number five. You seem to be humming and "singing" more in the last week or so. I will be carrying you and listening to your little song. I love listening to them! You know all of your colors even orange, pink, black, white and brown. You are good at descriptive words now too: up, over, under, tall and tiny. One of your favorite words right now is "Now". You get so excited about something and you want it to happen "NOW!". We have also started to help you more with expectations of how and when we are going to do something. You seem to operate better when you can expect what is going to happen next. I don't know if that is just a typical two year old or your actual temperament shining through but only time will tell. I know Mommy operates better when she knows what to expect maybe you are like me in this regard. When we go anywhere you like it when I drive. In fairness, I always drive us so you are not accustomed to Daddy driving. Today we were going to take a road trip with Grandma and Grandpa visiting. We wouldn't fit in the car if I drove. It required Grandma and Mommy to sit in the back with you. I explained to you that is how it was going to be this morning when we woke up and again at breakfast. You were fine. You still really want Mommy to do everything for you. I think it is what you are use to and feel most comfortable. If Mommy isn't around than Daddy can do everything for you and you are completely happy. You also like the word "Done!". I come back from doing something and you will announce perfectly "DONE!". The other night I went into my office to work a bit. I have started working a little more from home. You were playing with Daddy in the living room. You came and knocked on my door and opened it and asked if I wanted some tea! When I said yes you said, "Ok, back. Bye-bye!". It was amazing. You are showing such interest in feelings and observing how people and your stuffed animals feel. You have Milo the monkey and often you point to him and say "Happy!". You will hear a baby at the park or another child crying and say, "Boo Boo" and make a sad face.

You are so physical. You love bouncing, running and jumping. We chase you around the house and play hide-n-seek. You play well by yourself now. You love playing with Thomas the train and all of your trucks. You also love beads. You have a few strands of them and will place them in and out of containers, use your tool pliers to pick them up or use them as rocks in the shovel of your digger truck. You like to put your trucks or toys to "night night" and will place a piece of fabric over them. You seem to love art. You love painting, markers, stamps and using stickers. You still seem to love play-doh. We have gotten more into watching a little bit of TV with you. We watch "Thomas the Train" and "Fireman Sam". Your were also given these Mighty Machines DVDs for Xmas that you love. It is fun to watch these shows with you. All of them are short in length and you really seem interested for a little bit and then you are back to playing.

I have been trying to find some rain boots for you. I bought you some in the Fall but they were too big. You wear a size 7-1/2 now and those boots were an 8. I found some red ones with dogs on the toes. You have worn them everyday since they arrived. When it is time to put on shoes you will say, "Boots?".

You still are such a good eater. Your favorite food is chocolate milk. In fact we can ask you that question and you will say "chocolate milk". You seem to still not be that fond of meat. You love fruits and vegetables.

Our days are still full of going to parks and playing in the sand, walks, two classes and going to the beach. You love playgrounds and will ask to go to the park. You have mastered the slide and climbing on all of the jungle gyms. Lately you are showing such interest in trying to go down the pole. We go to a My-Gym class every week. You love that class and the teachers especially one named Vi. He makes funny faces and falls down in funny ways that make you laugh and laugh. We also attend a Mommy and Me class in Temescal Canyon. We dance, play, hike, sing and do art projects.

I am so proud of you and I cannot even start to express how much I love you. I love spending time with you and I love watching you learn. You are so curious and expressive.

I love you Evan.

M

Dear Evan-24 Months Old

Dear Evan-
Happy Birthday! You turned two this week. We had a party for you at the gym where we have a class each week. You love that place. Every time I tell you we are going to the gym you look up at me and say, "Bounce Bounce Bounce!". Then-we had a small party at the house for a few people that couldn't make the gym party. We did that on your actually birthday night. We sang to you over cupcakes. You have been to so many parties the past few month you know all about blowing out candles, cake and presents!

We had a fun month. We had a 12 days of Christmas package from Neena. By the time your birthday and Christmas rolled around you were one expect on how to unwrap a gift. We gave you a play kitchen for your birthday. It is set up right next to the kitchen and you have fun putting things in and out of your sink and cabinets. It is fun for me to look inside as I never know what I will find. Sometimes there are beads inside a pot next to some vegetables or a truck will be parked inside. For Christmas you received a Thomas The Train set from Grandma and Grandpa Mink. You received so many trucks and gifts I thought you were going to explode from happiness. On Christmas you were so happy you would dance around and make cute noises of pure glee. It was amazing to see you. You are a happy child anyway and to see you happy beyond words was a gift to me in itself.

You are starting to talk so much. You amaze both Daddy and me everyday with your comprehension and your quickly growing vocabulary. You use 2-3 words now to describe things or make your needs know. You truly use noise effects as much as real words to get your points across. You are my little shadow and always want to know where I am or you will say "with me" as you want to go everywhere I go.

We have recently started to watch a little TV. You like Thomas and Bob the Builder. There is also a show called "Sam the Fireman" that you like. We really limit your TV as there is so much more interesting things to do in life. But it is a treat to sit and watch one of these shows with you. You get so into it. You will walk up to me with the remote and ask "Bob"? or "choo choo"? (Thomas) or make a loud siren noise for the fireman show. It cracks me up.

You like to paint. I think you would paint everyday. You will often bring your paints up to me and ask me if you can paint. I have saved many of your paintings all ready.

One of your favorite things to do with me since you were very little is to go through all of your trucks and line them all up in a line. I use to do that for you and now I see you do it all by yourself. We color code them or we put them in smallest to largest order. You like to sneak the small ones next to the large ones and will announce that they are "Tiny".

You get in and out of the car by yourself now. You will still ask for my help on occassion but usually you will announce "Baby" telling me you want to do it. You refer to yourself as baby. In gym class we go around the circle and all of the kids are just starting to say their names. You haven't done that yet and I usually say your name to the group for you. This past month we went around the circle and I ask what your name is and you said to the group, "Baby!". It was so cute and great that we all laughed. Now that is what you say when you are asked what your name is. I know there will be a short time of this answer and I am loving it for as long as you will be saying it.

We take another class together called "Bee Planet". It is in Temescal Canyon. I really wanted to get you away from the city and have you see the great outdoors at least once a week. It is a fun class and you really seem to enjoy it. We do all sorts of activities together.

Tonight you were playing with your little car that has all sorts of buttons that offer different sounds. You had pressed one that made a song and I started to dance. You looked up at me and pointed to the music box we have in the hall and said, "Dance"!? I immediately went over and turned on the i-pod. We played Dancing Queen and you were dancing in the red light of the Christmas lights overhead holding a gift tag in one hand and shaking it. You kept saying "hot tea" as the gift tag reminded you of a tea bag. Daddy came in to dance with us. All three of us were dancing together and I just wanted to stop time and hold on to that moment forever. I guess by writting this night in our blog I am holding on to it in some way. These are such joyous times. They are memories I will hold on to forever. I am so proud of you Evan. You are a joy to be around. You have a greatness about you. A quietness and a peace that you don't find in many people and you are only two years old. I find you amazing and I am so lucky you are my son.

Happy Birthday my little guy. I love you more than words can say.

xoxo

Mommy

Dear Evan-23 Months Old

Dear Evan-

All I can say is "Wow". Life is moving so fast. I look at this past month and cannot believe all of the things you are now doing. You are really starting to say so many words. It is nice to hear your voice and to see how proud you are when you say a new word. This past month I am amazed at how much more physical you are and your ability to do so many new physical activities. I find that you love to balance on anything. Especially get up on a short wall and hold my hand as you take each foot across the thin line of the wall. You love to jump and are fascinated with tall things. That is a couple of many of your new words: "Tall" and "High". You seem to still be fascinated with trucks and anything with wheels. You love the sprinklers and we still go on hunts to find all of them along the way. You have found holes quite interesting lately and love to place sticks or a toy trucks inside. You are finding trains more interesting and have started to watch Thomas on TV. That is a brand new thing for us to do together as we haven't done TV before now. You will point to the TV and say "Choo Choo"? The funny thing is that you don't want to sit still for long and after about a five minute episode you will turn the TV of yourself to go and do something different. It cracks me up. You love to collect things. I find little treasures of things everywhere. It is a bucket of blocks or a box with a truck, block and a fork inside.

I am amazed at what a little person you now are. You are kind and gentle. You seem to have a stillness about you and you are always happy. You are the happiest kid. You laugh and smile and love for people to laugh and smile with you. You are patient even when you really want something. You seem not to like disorder. You like things to be in their correct place and struggle when they are not. You all ready seem to have such a clear sense of wrong or right and you really listen when Mommy or Daddy ask you to not do something.

One of your new words this month is "Home". We will be out with friends or at the park and you will walk up to me and say "Home". It is wonderful to have such clear sense of what you want. We immediately get our things together and go. Yesterday we were at the park and you came up to me and requested to go home. We got home and was pulling into the drive way when you said you didn't want to go home. I asked you if you wanted to drive somewhere and you said "Yes". So we left and we were about two blocks away when you fell sound asleep.

The other day you were watching Thomas. It was over and I stood up to turn off the TV. You looked at me and said "Another?". Before I could respond (I was floored that you said that word) you held up two fingers and said "Two"?. I loved it. You made your request so clear that we watched another Thomas.

This past month has been hard for me. I find that I am grieving that my little baby is becoming such a boy. You are independent and so bright. You are so curious and love to explore. Daddy and I both try to encourage you with your curiousity and exploring. We love to talk long walks with you and let you just roam.

I love you so much. I am thrilled to be living life with you. I love how the three of us live together and make each day special.

Happy Birthday my sweet little boy.

xo

Mommy

Dear Evan-22 Months Old

Hi Little Guy!
Where do I begin? Each month is such an adventure with you. You are talking up a storm now. There is a constant dialogue from you and I LOVE hearing it. You really want to engage us in conversation. If you are trying to show us something you will say Mama again and again until I look at you to acknowledge your finding. You search our face to make sure we have clear eye contact too. It is so wonderful how expressive and communicative you are. You have also started to look up at me and smile. It is so amazing. You and I will be doing something like going on a walk and you will look up at me and just give me the sweetest smile. It makes me feel so happy to see the joy you have in your life.

One of your favorite things to do right now is to search for sprinklers. We go on sprinkler hunts and during one of them you learned to count. You can count to two and sometimes three. You will count to two and then know there is another number and just point to the next object and then sometimes you surprise me and say "Three"! You are so good with colors and shapes now. Your favorite color is still Yellow but only in the usage of the word. I think your real favorite color is red. You have also mastered body parts. If someone asks you where your eyes are-you will point immediately but then want everyone to see Mommy's too. You understand the concept of "Fast" and "Slow" now. We play a running game using those words. Yesterday I needed to get over to see Dada quickly and I explained to you that if you got in the stoller we could go really fast. As soon as you were seated you started pointing and saying "FAST! FAST!". There have been some tree trimmers on our street for the last week. They have been our constant source of entertainment. You love them! This morning you woke up and heard them outside. You were so excited and reached up for me and said "FAST! FAST!". You love to spin and run and have recently discovered you can still crawl but love to stick your bottom up in the air (downdog position) and walk. It cracks me up especially when you want Mama and Dada to do it with you.

You understand so much now. I can tell Dada that I am going to exercise tonight and you will looks at me and pout and look worried. I will explain to you that it isn't until much later and I will let you know before I go. You really want to be with me every moment right now. And you really believe Mommy can do everything the best. You want me and only me to do everything for you. I try to drink all of this in as I know times will change.

You love music and dancing. You have a definte preference in songs. You love disco! We don't watch TV with you. Only recently I showed you the "Bob the Builder" show. You loved it and as much as you love it you will only watch the beginning credits and walk away. I love that you like so many things and are not really interested in the TV. You will know point to the TV and say "Trucks"!! Because you know inside that big, black box are the trucks.

You love vegetables and fruit and are still not too fond of meat. You are still breastfeeding and recently have really started nursing alot again. I think you are getting a molar. We took you in for your check up and you are 35-1/8" tall and weigh 27 pounds.

I love you so much!

Mommy

Dear Evan-21 Months Old

Dear E
Your Mommy loves you so much! It is just amazing the little person you are becoming. You have such opinions on things now and communicate so clearly to us what your desire and think. You respond with a cute little "Yea" now. We have conversations now. If you don't know how to say a word you use a sound effect to make your request known. We have started to play hide-n-seek. You love it. As soon as you find me, you will start signing "More!". When you want to play you come up to me and sign "More" and then say "Boo".

You love water. It is still by far your favorite thing. Well, that and trucks. I was trying to put you down for a nap the other day. You were sound asleep and a garbage truck drove up the alley. You shot up on bed and started pointing at the window yelling "TRUCK!".

You really love food. You eat so well. You love vegetables. I hope you will always love them. You love rice too. Lately-you have become more fond of pasta or as you say, "Noodles".

We don't watch TV with you. We never have it on for actual programming. We watch the cable music stations so you know how to turn the "music" on and off. Daddy and I watch TV sometimes when you go to sleep but we just aren't that much of a TV household. We were with some friends recently that asked if I had showed you the show "Bob the Builder" because you love trucks so much. I explained I hadn't. Well-this past week I showed you an episode. You loved it. Each episode is 10 minutes long. You never lake it through the entire episode but it is fun to share with you on occasion this funny new entertainment. The day after I showed you that episode you walked up to the TV, pointed and said, "Truck". I had to smile. I turned it on again and you watched it for maybe a few minutes before getting up and turning off the TV. That made me laugh.

You love drawing with markers. I have all of your art supplies in a cabinet in the kitchen. We have markers, paints, crayons and Play-Doh. You help yourself and bring what activity you want to the table. It is so much fun to see how much you are learning about colors and shapes. You like it when I draw shapes on the paper and you try to do it too. You know many colors and shapes.

You understand how to hang on now. You hold our necks when we carry you and I can ask you to hold on when we are at the playground. The playground is an entirely different place to you now. You love it. We can spend hours there. You love the slides and the equipment and the sand. Lately- you have become so fond of finding every sprinkler head in the current block radius. We will be walking down a street and you will find each one. You are very detail oriented all ready and pay close attention to the smallest things. You understand if something just isn't right or dirty. You say "Uh oh" or will pout to emphasize that there is a problem.

You found a matchbox car at the park one afternoon. This car along with the one we bought you in Palm Springs has started the Matchbox car collection. The funny thing is we bought the first one and the other three you now have are all "reclaimed" cars. We find them everywhere. I guess they are easy to lose. I am sure we will lose a few ourselves. You hold tight to them and carry one most everywhere. Your other favorite new thing is a miniature Big Blue Bus like here in Santa Monica. We saw a boy playing with one at a park one day and you loved it. Daddy brought you one home and you bring that with us most of the time.

You do not like your clothes on. We have to stress to you that if you want to go outside we need to get dressed. You hate your diaper changes and pull on your diaper alot and ask for it to be removed. You understand the meaning of "pee pee" and "poo poo". You have started telling me when you are going or all ready went and need to be changed. We are starting to talk about the potty and will slowly start to move towards potty training. It is a huge step for us. I can't believe this time has come. You are still breastfeeding but the times are fewer and shorter than ever before. You tell me when you are hungry and have really started to ask me for food instead of signing for nurse.

We started having a babysitter for a couple of times a week this past month but after two weeks she was offered a full-time teaching job so we are looking for someone new. I am taking my time because I want someone very special that will take great care of you. I am so lucky I can work at home and always be close by if you need me. You are a really social kid. You will wave at people on the street. I think it is good to open the world to you a little more by having someone new come into your circle of trust. I think it is harder on me than you.

You are sleeping so much better now. Although, you are such a nightowl. But-that rins in the family. Daddy and I are both nightowls and it makes sense that you would be too. You are usually asleep by 9 and up by 7.

You give us hugs and kisses. Real hugs and kisses. You will reach out to hug me and hold it for a while. It is the sweetest thing ever. Today I asked if you needed help and then you said something that sounded just like you said "Thank you". I had to do a double take and when you asked for help again and I did it you repeated, "tat you".

We have been having a weekly playdate with Kate lately. You guys play so well together and really seem to have the best time. You have a great interaction with her. Her Mommy is due with Kate's new sister in a few weeks. We want to go see Kate and help them out when the baby comes.

You are a great kid. You are fun to be with and not only do Daddy and I love you more than words can say but we really like you. We like spending time with you and seeing the world with you.

My heart is so much bigger because of you. I love you more than anything and I am so proud to be your Mommy.

xoxo