A Letter to Hayden on Your 5th Birthday

My fabulous Hayden,

Five going on twenty-five. You love all things "grown up." You constantly talk about the future and when I am a grandma and you are a mom. Your visions all include a sports car and lots of money to buy whatever you want. Lots of shoes and jewels I imagine.

The other day when you were dreaming of the glorious day when you are older, I explained that there are hard things that come along with growing up as well, like paying bills and responsibilities. I didn't think much of it, but a few days later you said, "mom, I have been thinking about what you said about growing up, and I am a little nervous about it." I was glad to hear that, I am not ready for you to be all grown up yet.

You are my glamour queen. The more flash and glitz, the better. A few weeks ago you asked your teacher at church if she was wearing a Bump-It (a thing you put in your hair to get that big sassy hair). I was not surprised because you have been talking about Bump-Its forever now. You keep asking if I will buy one for you.

You are so good with people. You have a way of sucking them in and wrapping them around your little finger and getting them to do whatever you want. You are a such a little flirt and you already know how to bat your eyelashes.

You have matured so much this year. You are listening and doing what you are asked more than ever, and sometimes you are even downright helpful. You are doing so well at school. I was so surprised when I volunteered in your classroom a fee weeks ago. You are attentive and on task and you do everything you are told.

You are so sweet with Jaxton. You mother him and talk so sweetly to him. You are always saying "come on bub, let's go play." You love playing store, or school, or house. You are the store keeper/teacher/mom, and Jaxton is Jeremy. I don't know why or where you came up with this name for him, but he brought me a name tag the other day and asked me to write my name on it. I said "J-A-X-T-O-N spells Jaxton" and he said "no, my name is Jeremy."

My silly, crazy, imaginative girl, some days it is exhausting being your mom, but I wouldn't have it any other way. You keep me on my toes and you are such a fun addition to our family. I love you so much!

Mom

A Letter to Jaxton on Your 3rd Birthday

My favorite boy in the world (Jaxton, Jaxty, Boy),

Happy Birthday! I can not believe that you are three! You are the best, sweetest, fun boy a mom could ever want. There were no terrible twos with you. In fact two was a breeze. You are such a well behaved little boy, you are sweet and loving and the little prince of our house.

You love music and singing. Often when one of your favorite songs comes on the radio, you tell the girls to be quiet because "this is my part!" Many nights you sweetly sing to yourself in your bed. Your favorite song is The Itsy Bitsy Spider, with Twinkle, Twinkle in a close second. And you love Justin Bieber and know nearly as many words to his songs as the girls.

You are quite the little conversationalist as well. You speak very well and very clearly. Having three older sisters has given you quite the vocabulary. You have the funniest little gruff voice that sometimes is hard to understand because it is so froggy. Except when you are whining, then it jumps about 3 octaves!

Life is interesting being the only boy with three older sisters. You are such a paradox. You are carrying a purse and a baby in one minute and karate chopping everything the next. We were watching a movie last week and you were snuggled super tightly into my chest, but whenever there was a fight scene you punched your arms wildly in the air along with the actors on the screen, it was too funny.

You and Hayden play house for hours and hours and you love being her little son and calling me grandma. And she teaches you all of the naughty things that she knows. You two are frequently cohorts together in mischief, but you are not as good at being sneaky as she is and you usually get caught. Fortunately for you, it is impossible to be angry with you because you are so repentant and you have your lip trained to stick out and look so, so sad when you are in trouble.

You have been quite the little copy cat, but I am seeing more and more boy in you as you are establishing yourself as your own person and not just mimicking everything your sisters do.

You still are the sweetest most affectionate little thing. You are like a little baby monkey, wrapping your whole body onto whoever is holding onto you. You love to give hugs and kisses and laugh every time you kiss someone on the lips.

I love you so much and couldn't imagine our lives without you!

Love,

Mom