5-Year-Old Love Letter

My Sweet Wessy Bug,

You are 5 years old. Inquisitive, kind, eager to learn and please. You pay attention to everything and have a a propensity for perfectionism. You are a peace keeper and always seeking to appease those around you. You love doing things to get in Owen's good graces and are extremely loving and protective of Hazel. You know when to stand your ground and when to let things go. You love playing board games, doing puzzles, projects and drawing. Your family portraits are one of my favorite things ever.

You played your first season of soccer this year and loved it. You didn't score any goals but didn't seem to care. You were just happy to run up and down the field with your friends and get your snack at the end. When you run you get your whole body into it, exerting maximum effort for a mediocre pace. At home you're constantly kicking the ball around and practicing your skills. You learned to ride a bike sans training wheels this summer and can do it with ease, but you still aren't comfortable enough to want to do it on the regular. The scooter is your preferred mode of neighborhood transportation.

You love your blankies and listening to music. You can write the alphabet and are learning to spell. I get the sense that academics will come easily to you. You have a zest and enthusiasm for life that is contagious. From your expressions to your laugh- you make everything more fun. There is something so sweet and special about you it feels impossible to articulate. You love upside down hugs and end each day with three hugs and three kisses for your mama. You're not big on "yes" or "no" and generally answer questions with an "of course!" "never!" or "fine." This is the last year you'll be home before kindergarten and I find myself soaking up the time. As a second time mama I know these days are sacred.

As you grow I hope you continue to seek opportunities to learn and be kind. I pray you know that your needs are important and that you extend the same kindness to yourself as you do to others. I tell you every night hoping that it will seep into your bones and the deepest part of your being- I love you, I believe in you, I'm proud of you. You're the best Wessy in the whole world. You are so special to me, you are so special to God and such an important part of our family. I love being with you and being your mama fills my heart with joy.

xoxo,
Your loving mama

7-Year-Old Love Letter

My Sweet Owen,

My first born, you are 7-years-old. You are full on school age with missing teeth and potty jokes for days. You are thriving in first grade and still love to play school when you're at home. You love math and are becoming a more confident reader everyday. You are super helpful and industrious, always willing to lend a hand. You are interested in money and learning about spending, saving and giving. Sometimes you come home from school and immediately get to work cleaning the house- vacuuming, taking out the garbage and dusting to earn a little extra cash. You love imaginative play and constantly reenact whatever you've experienced in the world.

Your two best friends are Christopher and Tucker. You and Tucker have been in the same class the last two year and Christopher's family is building a house next door. You love playing with him in the construction site and the two of you consistently sit together on the bus. I've always dreamed of having a best friend neighbor family and am so glad that is coming true for you. You, Weston and Hazel play really well together and you're always looking out for them. They both think you're the best and will follow wherever you lead. Physical touch is your primary love language and you live for the bedtimes back scratch/snuggle. When you're having a hard day sitting and connecting is especially important. 

The transition to first grade was a tough one and it took some time to adjust. A month with a long term substitute and not a lot of classroom engagement left you feeling depleted at the end of each day. Since your teacher, Mr. Cleary, has been back you are enjoying school and motivated to learn. You're still working on producing your best, quality work on the regular, which you are totally capable of if you set your mind to it. 

A highlight of your 6th year was adding Beau to the family. You love having a dog and are so great with him. The day we went to choose him the two of you had an instant bond and you accurately said that "he choose us." You're competitive and like to win. You're a whiz on your bike and can ride multiple miles if you choose. You played another season of soccer and claimed to love it despite the fact that you didn't appear all that engaged. You value family and love being at home.

As my first born we are always learning and growing together. Your blue eyes and kind heart make my world go round and I'm incredibly proud of you. You are everything I'd always hoped you'd be. I love you with all that I have and all that I am. I'm looking forward to another year of adventures together.

xoxo,
You loving mama

Sunriver Thanksgiving 2019

Traveling on Thanksgiving has never seemed like a good idea to me and Ty has long tried to convince me otherwise. This year we decided to give it a go and planned a trip to Sunriver with my family. We rented a house and our hopes for snow came true.

We crammed 16 people (including my almost 90 year old grandparents, sadly not pictured) into a beautiful rental and had a wonderful time. Sledding, ice skating, hot toddies and time with family is everything a holiday should be. Erin, Manda and I made leftse for the first time, a tradition from the Wilhelm family that I've always wanted to keep alive. And we celebrated Owen's 7th birthday.

Suddenly it seems silly not to travel for Thanksgiving. A long weekend that everyone has off of work makes perfect sense. I'm hopeful we'll be able to make this the new norm. Gratitude continues to be the resounding song of my heart. I'm thankful for my people every day.

Iowa 2019

Wes and I took a trip, just the two of us, to visit Beth and her family this November.

It made sense to take him because he's not in school and he'll still nap if he's tired, which is important in coping with the time change. I'm sensitive to Wes being the middle child and don't want him to feel like he never gets anything special. He's such a good kid that traveling with him felt easy and I knew one on one time would mean a lot to both of us.

As the first born Owen's accustomed to being the one who gets special privileges and quick to jealously. For that reason I was worried about how he would respond. Though jealousy was understandably his initial emotion he actually handled it well and was super sweet to Wes in the process. Ty took Owen and Hazel to Suncadia for a night while we were away so they got to do something fun, too. When they were there Owen spoke often of how much he missed his brother and opted to wait until the next trip to go on the waterslide so Weston could do it with him. One of my parenting beliefs is that things between siblings should be fair but not necessarily equal. Everyone gets different special things when it makes sense. They seem to understand and respect that more than I realized. 

Wes and I had an amazing time. Flying on the plane was his favorite part and I throughly enjoyed the time with him. Having one kid in tow was still very much a vacation for me. I read on the plane and at Beth's house the kids entertained themselves for hours. Wes and Fiona were fast friends and got along great. Beth and I had great conversations and I got some snuggle time with baby Brooks. I loved hanging with Robby and getting a glimpse of their life in Iowa. No matter how much time passes between visits Beth and I always pick up where we left off. I admire her heart and being together always fills my cup.

Harbor Soccer 2019

Both the boys played on a Harbor soccer team this fall. With Ty coaching, two practices and two games every week we got a taste of the crazy sports schedule veteran parents have prepped us for. Tuesday nights were long and we had to plan around games both Saturday and Sunday mornings. 

Weston loved it and I think soccer is going to be his sport. He was always super excited to play and gave it his all. Contact with the ball was pretty minimal but he didn't seem to mind. He practiced around the house and in the backyard any chance he got. 

Owen's attitude was similar to last year. He wasn't super engaged and it's hard to say if Ty coaching made that better or worse. He likes being on the field and part of a team but doesn't seem all that enthused about soccer itself. That being said, he's 6 and soccer season coincides with back to school so it's not a time of year that he has a lot of extra energy to give. His effort and excitement have certainly improved since last season and he said he had fun, which is the whole point!