Landon's 6th Birthday

Dear Landy,

Holy Birthday, Batman!!  You are SIX years old today!!!!  Can you believe it?!  Can I still call you Landy?  You've jumped on the Ayden train and call me Mom about 80% of the time now, but so far you haven't told me that you don't want to be called Landy anymore.  Don't grow up too fast...take it easy on this Mama!!

My little blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy.  You probably look the most like your Daddy.  You have a lot of his personality, too.  You like to make people laugh.  You get frustrated quickly.  You love big.  You are so smart.

This has been a big year for you, starting Kindergarten.  I laugh at myself now...at how worried I was that you would struggle learning to read because you were a late talker and developed your language a little later.  I had NOTHING to worry about!  You are an amazing little reader!!  Its been so fun to watch you this year as you've worked on it and become better and better.  Now you can read stories to yourself or your brothers or sister.  I loved it last week when you were reading your library book to me and Ayden kept inching closer to hear you.  You did a great job!!

You are great at drawing!!  Daddy and I are NOT, so I'm not sure where you came up with that talent, but you are a natural.  Your pictures tell stories lots of times.  My refrigerator is always full of your artwork.  Its so cool to see you work at it.  You make it look easy! ;)

You are a sweet brother, especially to Laney Kate.  You still kiss her on the head as much now as you did when she was a newborn.  You and your brothers fight a lot, but you also play together and laugh together a lot.  Usually, the times you are laughing the most and getting along the best, you guys are doing something you shouldn't, BUT, you still have lots of fun together.

You are my Mr. Independent.  I know its important to teach you to do things for yourself, but sometimes I just want to jump in and help when I see you struggling with something, but you won't have it.  You like to do things all by yourself.  Its a good character trait for you to have to be diligent and hardworking and to persevere.

Its been a year of loss, most notably for you, Poppa.  How many conversations have we had about how Poppa is now in heaven with Jesus and has no more cancer and no more pain?  You boys have been so curious.  I love that we can all walk with the certainty that he really is with the Lord at this very moment.

Ah, Landy, what does this year hold for us?  You are starting to understand more and more about Jesus, and Daddy and I continue to pray for the day that you decide to follow Him always.  Maybe it will be this year.  You are looking forward to playing baseball again.  Now that we're through all 20 snow days we've had this year, we are looking forward to spring...and then summer!!  No school!!  Whoop Whoop!! Then 1st grade -what?!  Ah, I don't want to think about all that growing up just yet.

Not today.  Because today you are six.  We will celebrate with a Batman party tomorrow night with our family...and missing some special people, too.  In a few hours I'll be in your classroom with cupcakes and juice boxes for your friends.  Tonight we'll feast on "chicken and pasta" per your request and you can use the birthday plate and our special birthday chair (remember, Mrs. Megan??).  And at some point today, I'm going to curl you up into a little Landy-ball and smooch you and snuggle you and smooch you some more.....and then I'll rub them in to be sure you can't wipe them off.

I love you sweet boy.  Have a fun day!!

Love,
Mama