Dear Beautiful,

Happy Birthday to my sweet angel.  My little bug. My Dorothy and my Marta.  My singer, soccer player and Brownie.

I try to tell you every day how much I love you, but I think sometimes I forget.  Sometimes I focus on the fact that you misplaced your iPod, forgot to turn in your homework, or left Squinkees in the middle of the floor.  I don't say it enough.  But I love you down to your toes.

You are beautiful inside and out.  You love others unconditionally and open your heart to all your friends.  Your smile, even with your braces, can just light up a room.  And those beautiful brown eyes, oh those beautiful brown eyes.  They tell everything you are feeling, you can't hide it with them.

This year has been a big year.  You have grown in so many ways.  You stood out in your audition for Wizard of Oz by being confident in yourself.  And 6 months later you stood on that stage, a beautiful Dorothy. At school you learned multiplication and division.  You conquered a 500+ page novel and asked me to buy the next book in the series.  You've gotten your ears pierced and look beautiful with it.

You still yearn to be a little girl.  You play with Pet Shops, dolls and stuffed animals.  You read Pinkalicious, and Junie B. Jones.  At Disney you were so excited to meet Tinkerbell and show off your Tink doll.  You run in the woods and create forts from fallen trees and your imagination.

I hope that you'll always keep that little girl inside of you.  The one who uses her imagination to create entire new worlds.  Who snuggles her momma in bed while watching Cupcake Wars.  Who asks for a story at bedtime, just because.

Happy Birthday beautiful.  Don'y grow up too fast on mommy.

7th Birthday Fun

Big man had a great day for his 7th birthday.  We packed it full with 2 soccer games, opening presents, hitting King's Dominion and having his first friend over for a sleepover.  Let's just say everyone was asleep by the time the sleepover actually started.

We began the morning with Erin's soccer game and followed it up with heading back home to open family presents.  Jeff was excited to get a new Harry Potter Lego set as well as some new Star Wars toys and an Angry Birds t-shirt.

Afterwards we headed back to the soccer fields for Jeff's game.  He played hard and had a great time.  He invited a good friend to meet up with us at the end of the game to head out to King's Dominion.  The general plan was to get there later in the afternoon, but hang out until closing at 9ish.

Of course when we arrived there was a huge downpour sitting over the park.  We waited out for an hour or so with Jeff feeling pretty upset.  His buddy and Erin enjoyed running around in the rain and getting soaking wet.  We finally braved the drops and hit up one of the nearby shows.  By the time it was over the rain had mostly stopped and some of the rides had opened.  As the evening moved on, more rides opened.  Best thing about the rain was that the lines in the park were virtually nonexistent.  We hung out until well after dark and really had a blast.

By the time we were half way home, everyone was sound asleep in the back of the van.  We plopped everyone into beds and the sleepover was well on its way.  The boys woke up the next morning and played around the house for the next few hours.

So my big boy had a fantastic birthday weekend!

7 Amazing Years

Dear Jeffrey,

7 years old.  That's right.  So hard to believe, although you're almost as tall as mommy.  I still see you as my baby.  You will always be my baby.  And it melts my heart every time you let me be your mommy.  When you let me hold and snuggle you.

The day you were born I held you close and snuggled you.  You've been my snuggler ever since.  Sometimes you'll ask to "watch Food Network" and I know it's not really about Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives or Chopped, but about snuggling in the big bed.  You're too big a boy to ask for snuggle time specifically, but have found other ways to get those snuggles.  And I'm so happy for it.  I pray that you keep asking for those snuggles and that I don't get too busy to make time for them.

I can tell you're also enjoying being a big boy.  You love playing outside and getting dirty.  You love reading (although you also love when sister reads to you).  This year daddy read you the Hobbit, the first sign of being a big boy. You are brave enough to ride a loopy roller coaster or a two-wheeler.  You are developing you're own voice and opinions.  Even though we don't always want to hear them (yes, brushing your teeth is required).    You saved up your own money to buy that DSi you've been waiting a year for.

We had some very special moments this year.  Our trip to Disney World was just amazing and so special being just the 4 of us.  You've started reading to me before I read to you.  You spent time with so much of your extended family (cousins, aunts, great-grandparents, grandparents).  And you know that they all love you so much.

I hope you remember that always.  When Mr. Silly gets out of the box and mommy and daddy get frustrated.  When mistakes are made.  When you belch at the table (and are so proud of it).  I hope you remember that we love you so much.  You are our special little boy.  My little baby.  And I love every inch of you.