Elliott: 6 years old!

 

 

To my first born:

 

I've been thinking about what to write to commemorate your 6th birthday for some time and I am at a loss of words.  You my boy, are a remarkable little kid and I love you lots and lots and lots.

 

I am amazed at your quick mind, quick wit, and goofy sense of humor.  All you need for entertainment is a National Geographic, some Lego's, or the video camera on my laptop.  You can keep yourself busy with just about anything and I love watching your mind work, your wheels spin, and your personality grow.  You love burps and farts, boogers and goobers of any kind.  You are an eating machine and want to help in the kitchen in any way you can.  You are polite and almost always kind.  You look out for others and are friendly to all.

 

When you get nervous or ask for something you don't think you'll get, you talk in a high pitched squeaky baby voice that drives me crazy.  When you talk to Quinn, you are gentle and kind and so soft and careful.  When you talk to Wyatt?  You roll your eyes and often yell, but so does everyone else.

 

You love school and that makes me so happy.  I was so proud of you when we did parent teacher conferences in the fall - you are well above your peers in academics and just thrive off of learning.  You are an excellent reader, can do hard math problems, and are turning into one amazing artist.  Some of the stuff you draw absolutely amazes me.  Like your dad, you must always hurry to be first.  And, like your dad you have terrible handwriting.  But also like your dad, you have a photographic memory, never forget anything, and remind me when I do something wrong...but in a nice way.

 

I love watching you be a big brother.  Every afternoon, you and Wyatt get lost in your games - Star Wars, race cars, NBA basketball, Veterinarian clinic or Animal Safari.  There is often fighting, but for the most part, the two of you make amazing partners and as I'm stuck in a chair feeding the hungriest baby brother in the world all the day long, listening to the two of you makes my heart smile.

 

And that baby of yours?  You are so most excellent with your baby brother.  You are gentle and kind.  You can get him to giggle better than anyone else, and when he sees you in the morning his whole face lights up. 

 

These days, I don't ever get to spend as much time with you as I'd like.  Life is just so busy.  But, one of my most favorite parts of every day is when were driving somewhere in the car and I catch your eye in the rear view mirror.  You'll smile, or try to wink.  Or, you'll do  "I'm watching you" with your fingers - pointing them to your eyes and then to me.  It's those moments, where your personality just shines through, that I love you the most.

 

Yesterday morning, as usual, I couldn't get you out of bed.  The lights were on, the covers were off, and the secret weapon - slobbery baby brother - was in full swing.  Finally I said to you, "Elliott.  Do you realize that this is your last day of ever being five years old?"  With that, you opened one eye, looked at me and grinned ear to ear.  Getting older is pretty cool....when you aren't that old.

 

Let's see, what else?  You love to wear a watch.  You make your own bed every day.  You can fix your own ham sandwich for lunch.  You LOVE to dance, and your favorite song is "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz.  You love to watch nature shows, cooking shows, and science shows.  You can howl like bigfoot.  You weigh 50 pounds and wear a size 1 shoe.  When you are hungry, you eat everything in sight.  You prefer fruit to almost anything.  When Wyatt wants a snack, he wants pringles and when you want a snack, you want an orange.

Because you are the first born, you've been the guinea pig for your goofy parents.  I'm so sorry for that.  I know that your dad and I are hard on you, harder than we need to be and that we need to cut you some slack.  But, you are the first born of two first borns, you can handle the pressure - we love you so much and want you to be perfect.

 

And guess what kiddo?  You pretty much are.

 

Love, love, love.

 

Happy Birthday.