miles turns four!

My dear sweet Miles,                                                                                   7/8/15 your 4^th birthday

            I seem to say this every year, but how is it that the last year has flown by so quickly? You are just turning four and already are such a little man. You remind me of your dad, all the time. You seem to have grown up so much this last year, but I think most of the reason is you are no longer the baby. You now have a little brother to play with, protect, love, teach, argue with, push, torment, and just another little one to have around all the time.

            I never imagined what being a big brother would do to you. You have become quite the little protector. When we have play dates or your cousins visit, you defend Logan for any infraction. He gets screamed at by Easton, you rush over to hit him for yelling at Logan. A kid pushes him and you push the kid back, even if I have already handled it and the kid is in time out. You seem to need to be in control (just like mom, sorry son) and need to make sure you do it yourself…. Unless it is cleaning up, and then you need someone else to do it.

            This year you have learned how to speak so much better. Your vocabulary has expanded and people who are not family can understand you. You know all the letters and sounds, numbers up to twenty-ten (30), and you can even read easy words and books. I think you got your daddy’s brains because you understand things so fast and are so smart. You already try to find ways of getting your way or of having us change our minds if you don’t like what is going on. You like to skirt the line of obedience, just like your dad when he was a kid.

            You have started waking up at the super early time of 5:15-5:30 each day… it is way too early for mom and dad, but no matter the bed time, you are awake and ready to start the day at 5:30. This means that bed time has become 6:30 for some books and teeth brushing and a 7pm bed time. You don’t give us any fuss when it comes to bed. You go in and get ready and snuggle in with your bears and blankets and go right to sleep. I love this about you and only hope that each of your siblings follow suit.

            This year has been the biggest change for you, mostly of Logan, who is now big enough to play with, but also because we have started doing school stuff and I realized how incredibly smart you are.  I know the future holds so much for you. You are so caring, smart, loving, and you have so many of my, and your dads, best qualities. I love you Miles, and I hope you read these letters seeing the wonder and love I have for you. You are more than I could have ever imagined and I can’t imagine ever having life without you. I thank God for you and Logan each day.  God is amazing and knew what I needed in my children without me ever expressing it.

            I hope you grow up loving God. He has freely given us so much. He gives us goodness while we only give sin. I love you Miles, but God loves you even more. Never forget that. This last year you have been going to church with us and often when we ask what you learned you say: God loves me, God made me, and Jesus is my friend. Such truth out of such a little guy.

            I have hope for your future, but I also look forward to all the wonderful things we have to share in the next year. Thanks for being my son. Happy forth birthday, my love. I love you.

Love,

      Mom (yes, you now only call me mom… not mama or mommy or even monny anymore… you are such a big boy)

The dentist

Miles had his first dental visit and he did so well!! We played some video games while we waited (and he kept asking to go play while we were getting our teeth cleaned). 

He then watched me get some X-rays and then he took some. The tech said he was one of the most well behaved kids she has seen. He listened so well and she was surprised the X-ray came out clear. Most kids can't hold still enough. 

After X-rays, we went into a room and had the dentist come in. He looked at Miles' teeth and said his teeth look great and to keep up what we were doing. 

After he left, we both got our teeth cleaned. He was so brave and let the hygienist brush and floss his teeth. 

I was so proud of Miles. He did so great and was so brave. 

 

An interview with Miles

Answers given by Miles at age 3. 

1.What is something mom always says to you?

"Be nice to your brother"

2. What makes mom happy?

When you not be naughty to your baby brother.

3. What makes mom sad?

When I not listen.

4. How does your mom make you laugh? By tickling you

5. What was your mom like as a child?

Like Logan .

6. How old is your mom?

26

7. How tall is your mom?

Really tall! This tall! 

8. What is her favorite thing to do?

Clean up the house

9. What does your mom do when you're not around? Cry                                       10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?

Toys

11. What is your mom really good at?

Cleaning up your toys 

12. What is your mom not very good at?

Playing skylanders and plant vs zombies

13. What does your mom do for a job? Clean up all the toys

14.What is your mom's favorite food?

Meatballs

15.What makes you proud of your mom?

When you clean up all my toys. 

16. If your mom were a character, who would she be?

 A pirate

17. What do you and your mom do together?

Clean up the mess

18. How are you and your mom the same?

Cuz we match

19. How are you and your mom different?

You have a daytime shirt and mine is a night time shirt.

20. How do you know your mom loves you?

Cuz you give me big hugs

21. What does your mom like most about your dad?

When daddy plays kingdom hearts

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?

Science museum

23. How old was your Mom when you were born?

20...um 5. 5. 

What a silly boy. It's funny to see the things from his perspective. You can tell the things I say to him over and over. "Be nice to Logan" seems to leave my mouth at least 100 times a day... Along with "let's clean up your toys". 

One year old

   

Happy birthday my sweet Logan, 

     It is really hard to believe you are already one year old. Where did time go? How are you a toddler and not my little baby, already? I feel cheated of time. Your first year went so fast. It feels like a blur of sleepless nights, lots of sick days, running, playing, and watching you learn and grow so fast. 

      You are an amazing toddler. You are your own little person already. You follow Miles around like he is the sun. He is the most amazing person to you. He is always doing funny things and dropping toys you end up playing with-so you follow him almost all the time. You are a daddy's boy! You love to run to dad when he gets home from work each day. You will point at him while I'm holding you so he will come hold you instead. There are times you want me (like when you are hungry or tired or hurt) but you love to follow Miles when playing or playing with dad. 

        You laugh so easily. You find humor in everything..... But you also have a temper! You yell at anything that is not what you want. Brother not sharing? You yell. You want up? You yell. Get a toy taken away? You yell. It is so funny to see how quickly you get angry and how quickly you are totally ok. 

     You have an amazing smile. Your sweet little teeth show and you get a sparkle in your eyes. Sometimes you have a special laugh you do when you are being naughty and you know it. You look around and giggle and stop and look at me and give me the cheesest smile. It is awesome. 

       You are really good at letting us know what you want. This last month you have started pointing at what you want. You sign 'more' by clapping and can sign nurse and all done. Those are the main things you use to show us what you want (other than crying or yelling). 

       I can't wait to see what kind of person you grow to be. I hope you grow to love God. I hope you grow up and learn to control the temper and find a way to have balance in life. I foresee you as a kid with a great sense of adventure and sense of humor. You are so much more of an adrenaline seeker than Miles. Where he is cautious, you jump right in. I also see many adventures for you and your older brother in the future. 

       I love you so much, my sweet Logan. You are sleeping in my arms right now and I know the day will come, all too soon, where you will no longer fit here. Happy first birthday, son. You are such a happy and wondeful baby. I am lucky to have you call me mom. Thank you for that. 

       Please don't grow too fast. Keep your sense of wonder. Always love others. Keep the sparkle and love for life. Never doubt my love for you. You have been loved from the beginning. Stay sweet. 

Love, momma

11 months

My dearest Logan,

    With your birthday coming around the corner, this month has been full of you growing up. You now walk like a champion. In fact, you run (or try to run) more than you walk. If you fall, you just crawl to the nearest thing and pull yourself back up to standing so you can walk again. 

     You use your hands to say 'all done' when you are finished eating. Half the time I forget that's what you are saying and I think you are just waving at me. I wonder if you will get more sign language as time goes by. I tend to forget to sign as much as I did with your brother. 

     You are a great baby. You laugh a lot and get tickled at the silliest things. You love to watch and laugh at Miles. You have so much patience.... Unless you are tired. When you are tired, you don't take anything and you have a temper. When something happens that you don't like you scream and throw yourself on the floor. It is funny to see you assert your will on us. When you want something, you are super good at making it known. Especially when you are tired. 

      You are super inquisitive. You will walk and crawl all over the house, as long as someone is in the room with you, just to see what else you can find to chew on.  You love to play at the feet of Miles. I think you do this because you love to play wth him and he always drops the best things. You watch Miles and have already learned so much from him. 

    Speaking of learning, you mimic so much now. If I click my tongue, you do too. If I growl, you do too (and you often do this when you don't like whatever is going on). If I make kissing sounds, you try to do it too. It is really fun to see you trying new things. 

      You FAVORITE game is peek-a-boo. You will play this game with anything-from a door to a blanket, your hands, toys, or whatever you can find to hide in or under. You also LOVE pillows. You love to go over to pillows and lay on them. If any pillow is on the floor, you will walk or crawl over to it, just to lay on it for a second or two. 

     You have really started to develop your own personality and it is super fun to see.  You walk around and talk you baby talk to everything. We went to the store and you just walked around chatting to whatever fun thing you saw. It was really cute. 

     I can't wait to see what the future brings. Please grow up well. Be strong in your faith and be a protector of the weak. Be a force of good and of change in this world. Grow up to be a good man, a man like daddy, who loves family and is brave and loyal and a hard worker. Please grow up well, but not too soon. Stay little while you can. 

      I love you Logan Walter. You are my favorite Logan in the whole world. I can't imagine our family without you and I know you were always meant to be with us. Thank you for your sweet giggles, loving smile, cuddles, and curiosity. You are so loved. 

Love, momma

Logan playing in a tent 

Playing under brother

Playing peek-a-boo

Loving pillows

10 months!

     

  

     How are you almost a year old already? You are so curious. You climb and crawl and stand and try to figure out the world. 

     You love bath time! You can be yelling and cranky but you will happily go take a bath and cry when you have to get out. 

     You have taken your first steps! I think you'll be running before long. You stand up by yourself and try to walk but only make it a few steps and then fall. I have a feeling you will love running when you finally figure out how to stay up. 

     You love to eat. You follow anyone who has food and whine until we give you a bite. You have learned to spit out things you don't like. It's fully to have you try new things because more often than not, when a new texture goes on your mouth you will make a funny face and wipe it out with your arm or spit it right out onto your chest. 

      When we go to the park you love the swings. You laugh and laugh! I think this is another point showing me how much of an adrenaline junky you will become. You love to be thrown in he air, spun around, and anything that might be slightly scary is awesome. Unless it involves loud noises when you are tired and then you will just cry. 

     I love you so much my sweet Logan. I'm glad this last month was filled with lots of heathy weeks and I hope they continue. You are a sweet baby who loves his family and is happy all the time. You are fun loving and I am love this stage of life with you. Thank you to God for choosing me to be your mommy. 

-mom

9 months

     

Well you are officially 9 months and life is crazy! You are eating a bunch of different foods and love to eat whatever I am eating. You love smoothies and if I am drinking one you follow me everywhere yellin at me for a bite. 

     You still love your brother. He is the sun in your world and I am the moon. You love everyone else too but brother and mommy are #1 and #2. 

     You are still sick. All. The. Time. I can't wait for this season to be over. Winter = sick and I can't wait for warm and health. 

     You are getting so big. Seems like you are about the same size your brother was, but it still surprises me that you aren't my little tiny baby anymore.  

      I love you so much Logan and can't wait to see what life has for us. 

-mommy