Six Years

Dear Evan,

You’ve finally drifted off into a deep sleep after another big birthday filled with a long school day followed by a baseball game and dinner at Souplantation. I just wanted to jot down some words before I drift off, too! It sure is crazy for me to think that six years ago tonight, you were such a helpless little baby in the NICU, because you’ve certainly come a long way since then!

Just a year ago, you were celebrating your birthday with your preschool friends, with thoughts of kindergarten on the horizon. Now you still have many of those same friends. Caleb and Mitchell are in your class this year, but you’ve made many new friends, including Anthony, Tre and Kayden. You enjoy socializing and having play dates any chance you can get. Your list of “best friends” is quite long!

You’ve been learning to read and write since starting kindergarten in August, and you’re getting better at both by the day. You can now read early reader books by yourself, though you still love it when I read the Berenstain Bears books to you. You’re fascinated by numbers, too, and you spend lots of time in and out of school writing your numbers from one to….wherever you decide to stop. You also love to write words and compose emails to family members. Sometimes those emails reference “poo.” Hey, you’re six!

But no one can deny that your absolutely favorite activities revolve around sports. You are playing your third season of Hart baseball right now, on the Detroit Tigers, but you’ve developed a passion for soccer and basketball, too. Rarely a day goes by that you don’t ask one of us to go outside and play one of those games with you. You also love playing soccer every chance you get at recess. You’re fiercely competitive, and your skills improve all the time, You took a Kidz Love Soccer class in the winter, and we’re looking forward to starting you on your first AYSO team this fall.

You’re strong-willed and sometimes quick-tempered, but you’re also quick to love and appreciate those around you. You shower me with “I love yous” and “thank yous,” and it always warms my heart. You and Nathan have a rollercoaster relationship, but I know at the end of the day, you are brothers--and best friends--to the end.

You and Nathan both really enjoy Minecraft, which you get to play on weekends, along with Cars 2 on PlayStation. You do love spending time over at Grandma T and Papa’s house, where you get to play with Uncle Matt and little Daisy the dog.

When I think about all the ways you’ve grown over the last year, it’s hard to think where you’ll be a year from now. Right now I just want to enjoy you--every vivacious, loud, giggly,

aggressive, sweet, smart, sleepy, hungry, thirsty, sporty, creative part. Because when you put all those pieces together, it makes one really great kid. I love you, Evan! Happy birthday, my sweet!

Love,

Mommy