My Big Kid!

My Dear Noah,

You are SO big....on so many levels, height, weight, maturity (well, you are a boy, so sometimes the maturity is lacking!), helpfulness, brains, and sweetness! So much has happened since I last wrote to you that it's going to be way too hard to catch up, so I'll just start with where we are now and hope to write more often!

Since November (my last letter) you have turned 4! With that has come a whole new guy. You have become more social and interested in friends. Your best friend is Alex White and your brother! You and Alex love superheros and enjoy going to each other's house for playdates.

You played baseball this summer and Dad was the pitcher! It was such a special time for the two of you and you really improved from the beginning of the season to the end. Your friend and classmate, James, was on your team and his Dad was the coach. You loved playing, but I think you loved the end of the game the most....your team picked a superhero saying in the huddle at the end of every game and you always got snacks...that was a highlight! Max and I loved coming to cheer you on! You also insisted on hitting with a bat that was too heavy and too long for you because it was the one you got from Gramma and Papa for your birthday! I swear you could've hit some out of the park if you'd only use a smaller, lighter one, but you persevered and were always able to get a hit using the heavy one! So sentimental!

You also love to swim and are able to swim without floaties this season! You love to dive down with your goggles and get superheros on the bottom of the pool and are able to hold your breath longer and longer each day! You are determined and brave this summer and it's been fun to watch you explore new things.

Another skill you are showing interest in is reading and writing! I love this eagerness to learn that you have and hope you never lose that! You can write all of our names and recognize several words when trying to read. I print off worksheets for you a couple times a week and you get so excited to do them! I'm proud of you!

You are so helpful with Max. He and you have started sleeping together in your bed every night and there will be times in the middle of the night I hear you finding his lovie for him! You are always looking out for him and teaching him how to do things (like unbuckle his seat belt!).

Daddy buzzed you and Max's hair this summer and you guys look more and more alike! It also makes you look so much older....which leaves me with a pang in my heart every now and then. However, you have been randomly hugging and kissing me lately which relieves that pang a little! You did tell me you would always love me, even when I get mad or yell and even when you go to college and then become a dad someday!

The most current "issue" is your obsession with where your food comes from. You ask me at EVERY meal if the meat your eating is from an animal. And, you've made it very clear that you WILL NOT eat it if it has...so, I've been telling you "no", but think I have to start telling you the truth because you are too smart and will not let this go. You have told me that it's ok for us to eat eggs that don't have baby chicks in them, but not any other animal, even if it died on it's own. No fish, no animals, because it "makes you so sad and we might not ever be seeing those animals again". So sensitive! We'll see where this leads us.....

One thing we are working on (and you've been doing much better with) is not rolling your eyes when I'm telling you something you don't want to hear. And, not scrunching your eyes up and glaring at us if we are scolding you or telling you "no" about something....ATTITUDE!

All in all, I love you so much and am very proud of who you are becoming!

Love,

Mommy