Love me tender

Dear Jenna,

Today you had your spring concert, where you sang various Elvis songs.

You were stoked about this...and I just love seeing you excited! You were insistent you look like Elvis--but once you got to school, you saw some girls all dolled up, and then you realized that "they look like girls who want to date Elvis"....

Suddenly your pedal pushers, button up white shirt, and neck scarf were not good enough. :)

But you sang your heart out. You looked so cute up there belting out the words to "You ain't nothing but a hound dog" and "Love me tender".

You are quite the performer...on stage and off.

You did great. I love you!

Love, mom

Letters and sounds

Dear Spencer,

Today, you simply amazed us all. Even as I write this, I can't help but think back to this morning and wanting to squeeze your little cheeks and kiss your sweet face all over!

See, you still don't say much...Just shy of 3 years, we are lucky to understand a small handful of words. Communication has been frustrating...for both of us. I am always wondering if we are doing enough...teaching enough...and it's hard to know because there isn't a lot of verbal feedback.

But today...oh today...you were in love with Jenna's school project--the coconut tree with the alphabet on it. You hauled it all over the house. You hugged it. And you came over to me babbling and pointing at letters and such.

....and then I heard it. L. Clear as day. You said L.

But the most amazing thing, was that you were actually POINTING to L.

I thought maybe it was a fluke, so I asked another letter. Low and behold, you pointed correctly, and sounded it out. This continued, R, S, T, D, A...on and on. Daddy and I were gasping with each letter...You knew them...you KNOW the alphabet!

We were shocked! When did this happen? Have you known for a while and we just didn't realize?

Today, Mr. Spencer...you made me so proud. So happy. Elated. Thrilled.

You are learning...you're getting it...and someday, ONE DAY, you will talk and get it all out the way you just can't (or won't) right now. Today proved that.

Love you little my little alphabet man!

Love mom

Projects

Dear Jenna,

Today we worked on a project you have to complete for school tomorrow. It was a report on an author, and you chose Bill Martin, and the book Chicka, Chicka Boom Boom. Best part was, you needed a visual aid to go with it.

I really struggle with doing so much homework with you...I have to admit that. But I love when you have projects come up...it gets my brain working and I love to think of all the creative things we get to make together.

I loved seeing my vision with your touches...we made a coconut tree with a wrapping paper tube and pasted letters from magazines all up and down the trunk...and then we cut slits in the top of the tube and inserted tree leaves, each with a fact about Bill Martin.

I have to say it was pretty cute...and watching your excitement about it made me feel truly satisfied.

Love, mom

My little fashion models

Kids,

Today before church, you each wanted to model your Sunday best before church. Dad did a pep talk on how to do the runway walk, complete with wink and click at the end...very funny. :)

You each looked SO cute, all dressed up.

It amazes me how much you are growing...and how FAST. Just watching you each strut your stuff made me smile...I loved it!

Love, mom

Activities...

Dear Jenna and Kaden,

Today you had a busy day...a primary activity day AND two birthday parties to attend...

We dropped you both off...on your own...at your own activities...

We spent hours apart while you were with friends, celebrating, eating cake and having fun.

But today, little ones, it hit me.

You are growing up. You no longer need me to linger at your parties and activities the whole time. You can stand your ground and be okay by yourselves...

While there is a sense of sadness in this, knowing you are no longer so little, there is also a sense of pride. I am proud of you both...of who you are. I am proud you are growing and developing and really becoming your own individual people.

It is something truly amazing to me.

I love you both...

love mom

Excitement

Dear Kaden,

Today we went to a little birthday party for your friend. You played and had a great time with your little guy friends...

...and then it came time to open presents.

I don't think I will ever forget your face as you watched your friend open his gifts. You stood up, your jaw dropped to the ground, you clasped your hands over your mouth, and your eyes lit up! YOU WERE SO EXCITED.

It was the funniest, most wonderful thing to watch...

You have such a personality...and I love it!

Love mom

Sometimes, it's just love

Sometimes I have days, where at the end of the day, through the good and bad, it comes down to just loving you.

Today that's what I want you to know. That I love you. All of you. Lots.

I feel truly blessed you are in my life.

Love, mom

A cheerful disposition

Dear Kaden,

Today we went on a little trip to a town about an hour away, so I could pick up something I needed. You slept so nicely on the drive down...and when you woke up, you were happy and ready to go.

We ran my errand and then I took you and Spencer to lunch with me. After eating, we went to the playplace. You and Spencer both played so nicely. I was feeling like it was time to go, and without saying anything to you, you came right over to me and said you were ready, got your shoes on and snuggled up to me. There were some other moms there, who were just in awe at how good you were. My heart just swelled! I was so proud of you...

I know every time isn't this way...trust me....but this one time just made my day...

love you.

mom

Like a Young lady...

Dear Jenna,

You are such a funny little girl. One thing I love is your longing to speak like an adult. It makes for some pretty funny sounding conversations...

Today, Kaden was screaming...not a bad scream, but a high pitched scream...he was trying to get everyone to join in.

You started to get in on the fun, but then stopped abruptly and turned to him and said, "Kaden, you are screaming like a young lady!"

It made me laugh, really hard. :)

Love you silly girl.

mom

Gardeners

Kids,

Today, even though there was a chill in the air, you insisted on going to out water the sprouting flowers. I peeked out the window at one point to see you all digging...not taking the flowers out of the ground, but digging around them, looking so productive.

You stayed out there for a good, long while.

When I went out to talk to you about it, you all told me everything there was to know about your plants. :) It was very cute...

Love you, my little gardeners.

MOM

Eyes wide shut. :)

Spencer,

You can be such a happy little guy...and I absolutely love your cheerful squeals and funny looks.

But the one that takes the cake is your smile.

You love, LOVE when I take your picture. Without any prompting you pull this face...the one with the eyes tightly shut and the smile ear to ear.

And I snap a shot...which is immediately followed by you running up to me yelling "SEE, SEE".

I love it. And I love you...my little smiler.

mom

Beautiful

Dear Kaden,

Today I put on a cheap clearance maternity shirt I got the other day. It was a print I would not normally choose, but due to lack of funds and the frustration I have encountered shopping, I snatched every clearance shirt I could find in my size.

I was trying not to care what anyone thought of this shirt...and I think I had myself convinced that it didn't matter.

But as you saw me come down the stairs, you looked at me in awe and said, "mom, your shirt is SO beautiful."

I smiled and said, "you think it is?"

You came up close and admired it...and responded once again, "oh yes, mom...it is SO beautiful."

I realized then that it DID matter what people thought. Well, really it mattered what YOU thought. You thought it was beautiful. And you saying that very thing, made my feel so good that even if everyone else in the whole world hated it, I would wear it a million times over just because I know how much you love this shirt.

You made my day little man...you made me feel like a princess...and you made this $5 shirt feel like a million bucks.

Love, mom

Absence makes the heart grow fonder...

Kids,

Today was not a good day. Not for you. Not for me.

There is much of me that wanted to blame my terrible attitude on you guys...for all the wrongdoings and the fighting and the stress you caused. But after thinking about it for a while, I just couldn't. I couldn't blame you guys for living life...and having a bump in the road...the very same way I was today.

But even then, it didn't make things easier. At the end of the day, I was done...I needed a break.

I found myself running an errand, and wandering through Walmart picking up a few things. Somehow, I ended up walking through the toy aisle. I could just see your faces so clearly in my mind, smiling and so happy...I could picture what would make you THRILLED to play with...and picture you giggling about this and that. It made me miss you...the very people I was wanting so desperately to escape from for a few minutes.

I guess the moral of my story today is that when it is said that absence makes the heart grow fonder, it is true.

This I know.

I love you all. Even on the really bad days.

Love, mom

Shamrocks

Dear Kids,

Today is St. Patricks Day. In my efforts to get everyone out the door on time and to our respective places, we didn't get to celebrate a whole lot in the morning. But I made sure each of you had a 4 leaf clover drawn in green on your hands.

You were each so proud.

And nobody got pinched. :)

It was just a good day with you. The boys and I spent time at the park, and Jenna had a good day at school...and you all played the afternoon away in the backyard.

I just love these peaceful times...not PERFECT...but peaceful...

Love mom

After school...

Dear Jenna,

Lately, I have been trying to turn off the radio, avoid the cell phone, and focus my ears on you and the boys on our 20 minute ride home from school.

I have to say that they have become the most cherished 20 minutes of my day...

You chatter about everything that happened, about what's important to you, about silly jokes and people you care about. And the boys get involved too.

I love being a part of your day like that.

Love, mom

Monday night is family night...

Dear kids,

You have become very well accustomed to Monday night being our family night.

I know I have written about this before, but I just love your enthusiasm and love for our time together and our lessons we have. You encourage me to keep on going...to not give up...because even if I wanted to, I don't think you would let me.

I love Mondays...

Love mom

Your day

Dear Jenna,

I had a completely different thing I was going to write about, until I tucked you in bed.

You were throwing SUCH a big fit when it was time for scriptures and prayer. We made an agreement before that if you could not join us for that time, that you wouldn't get a special story in bed...when I usually go in and lay by you and we talk and have some time together.

Knowing that you weren't going to get a story put you in even BIGGER hysterics!

You cried and screamed and threw a huge fit. I went in and tried to calm you down...offered to let you tell me a few things about your day, but you battled even that.

The time went on, your crying went on...and eventually I went back for one final time.

I laid by you and stroked your hair.

You asked me to tell you 3 things about my day, which I did.

And then you asked if I you could tell ME 3 things. The logical side of me wanted to say no--that you had your chance. But the heart side of me laid next to you and loved you...

I told you my 3 things...and you told me yours.

1. It was the last day of testing at school.

2. Tomorrow was Saturday.

3. "The most special thing of all..." (said while whimpering)..."that you loved me".

I am SO glad I spent that time with you...I am. My heart was right this time.

I love you.

Love, me

At the car wash

Dear boys,

Today we decided to wash the car, since it was GORGEOUS outside.

We pulled into the car wash and vacuumed the car first. When I went to pull it forward, I realized you guys had locked the car with my keys inside. After what seemed like forever, I coaxed you to unlock the doors...it was a tough job though! :)

You both stared in awe at the bubbles, the power washer, the water everywhere. You were grinning ear to ear. You were completely intrigued. I could have watched you watch ME all afternoon.

You guys sure do make me smile.

mom

Silly

Dear boys,

Today I was folding laundry. LOTS of laundry.

I went to put some away and came back to you both dressed up with underwear on your heads and shirts on your legs...shorts around your arms and socks wherever they would stick.

It made me laugh...

I love the silly side of life you both bring...it makes the day seem so much brighter.

Love mom

The birthday date...

Dear Kaden,

As our birthday tradition goes, when it's my birthday I always take each of you on our own special date to somewhere I have a birthday freebie.

Texas Roadhouse is ALWAYS your special place. YOU LOVE the peanuts there. In fact, I think that's the whole reason you like eating there. The peanuts. Every time we pass it, you ask, "mom, can we go eat at Peanuts today??"

So my birthday freebie there is always with you.

You were so cute all dressed up in running pants, a t-shirt, and a striped tie clipped on over top. All if it your choice. You made the perfect date...insisting on sitting next to me, cuddling up to me time after time and saying you loved me...munching peanuts in between hugs and sharing our dinner together.

Everyone smiled at your tie--and it made me smile so much bigger.

I was proud to be with you. I was proud to be your mom...your birthday date.

Thank you for sharing our special place...

Love, mom

Birthday

Dear kids,

Today was my birthday. My 30th birthday to be exact.

And I cannot think of a better way to spend my birthdays than with you guys. You all make having a special day just that...SPECIAL.

You each were SO excited about the card, the gifts, the party favors...and watching you enjoy the magic of the day took me back to a place when having a birthday was a magical thing for me too.

Jenna, your teacher sent a note home saying you marched right into class and proclaimed to everyone that it was your mom's birthday. She giggled about it. I did too. You wished me a happy birthday for several days BEFORE the actual day. You picked out party favors and a card with ballerinas all over it...because you KNEW I would love it.

You just were SO thoughtful.. And that made me happy.

Watching all of you kids tonight as we celebrated by wearing the birthday bling (the gold medals that were chosen for each of us to wear) and blowing party horns, made me want to freeze that very moment. You were laughing...squealing...smiling. And oh, so happy.

I will remember that always.

Thank you for making my day so incredibly wonderful.

Love, mom

Handsome little man

Dear Spencer,

I just want you to know that today, you were so handsome.

You wore the same thing you wear most Sundays to church...but I just caught glimpses of you growing into this little boy who is so independent and grown up.

You have a smile that just lights up the room...and you are always the ringleader for a good time.

I guess, I just wanted you to know that today I noticed you...the special little you that today, was SO handsome.

Love you little guy.

Mom

Maple sugaring...

Dear Kids,

Today we had a great day together.

Not perfect. But great.

We went out and explored how maple syrup is made, on a gorgeous sunny day. We trapsed through the woods, looked at trees, tasted sap, and had mini pancakes with fresh syrup.

Jenna, you were totally into it...you soaked it all in.

Kaden, you were pretty bored and just wanted to eat lunch... :)

And Spencer, you were just along for the ride with your cute smile.

It was so funny to see how you each reacted...

That's one thing I love. That you are all so different...and respond different to circumstances.

It is yet another thing that amazes me about raising you...

I love you all...thank you for a fun day.

Love mom

Glimpses...

Dear sweet boys...

You know, when we found out what we were having, I was stunned. It wasn't that we weren't happy to have another boy...it was more because I just couldn't PICTURE what our family would look like, and be like with so many BOYS! :)

Well, today I caught some glimpses of our future when we babysat 2 of your little friends.

I think in our future we will be seeing...

lots of climbing, chasing, jumping, tackling.

I think we will be hearing...

lots of screaming, laughing, squealing, shouting.

I think you will be friends...good friends...and rivals, seconds later. :) And then you will make up and run away laughing together to find one more place to hang from and explore.

And I also think I will be tired. :)

I am grateful for glimpses...of you sweet boys...and what life will probably be like.

Love you.

MOM

Our time.

Dear Jenna,

My birthday is coming up. And that means it's our special birthday one-on-one date.

You needed some new shoes, so we headed out to find some, and then pick up dessert.

There was only one shoe on your mind...a flat ballet style shoe with no buckle. Period. You were on a mission to find that particular shoe. However, your feet are so small, that finding a pair of ballet flats with no buckles is close to impossible. We discovered that after searching not one, not two, but 3 stores.

In store one you tried on every ballet flat they had--all WAY too big.

In store two, you tried on everything glittery--and asked about EVERY single ballet flat--again, all of which were too big.

Store three was our last chance. When we walked in, clearly discouraged, you said to me, "mom, I don't care WHAT kind of shoe I find, I just want a new pair!" The shoe department there was the jackpot for you. They had so much to choose from! You laid out numerous shoes (none that fit your previous mental image, but you were thrilled regardless!) and eeny-meeny-miney-moed over and over. At one point you said, "mom, you have GOT to get me out of this place! There is too much to choose from!"

It made me laugh...

You held my hand as we walked through the stores. You were just so cute to watch while you made the oh so important decision. And you looked so grown up.

On the way home, we stopped for a frosty and french fries--the perfect salty sweet combo. ;)

We had such a fun time together, talking and laughing.

I love our one on one time. Especially last night. Thank you for sharing that time with me.

Love, mom

The phone call

Dear Jenna,


Tonight I went out to do some shopping--hoping to find some maternity clothes for me. Dad stayed home to put you guys in bed.

While browsing through a store, I got a phone call from dad asking if I would talk to you for a minute. After the phone was passed, your little voice came on the line, asking for our nightly story. I huddled in a corner of the store, behind a rack of clothes, and told you a tale. ;)

I just loved hearing your voice--and knowing that you need me...still.

I hope it's like that no matter how old you get..

love, mom

At play

Dear boys,

Today we went to the Science Museum. It was just us, and the family we went with. So calm...

I loved watching you run around and explore. You both love the ball pit, and dive right in...Spencer, you spend much of your time there putting balls into the suction machine that shoots them into the ball dropper...and Kaden, you were a fan of the dress up area. You looked so cute working on the pretend car while wearing your police man outfit.

I love these times where you are so carefree.

Love, mom

Shock

Dear Kaden,

Today's funny moment was courtesy of you. :) I wish I had been there to see this, but I was out running errands. Daddy called me though, as soon as it happened, laughing so hard.

He recounted that you had been throwing a big fit about something, throwing yourself here and there. You ran into the bathroom still flailing around and somehow managed to hit the side of the bathtub in just the right way that you flopped right into it.

That alone would have been funny. But even funnier was the fact that Spencer had tried to fill up the bathtub shortly before that and all he could get on was the cold water.

I can just PICTURE your shocked face as you flopped head first, fully dressed, into a bathtub of cold water.

I have laughed at that mental picture all night... :)

Thanks for making me smile today--even if it wasn't intentional. :)

Love,

MOM