First day of 1st Grade

Dear Max,
Today was your first day of 1st grade!  You've been filled with excitement for the last few days looking forward to going back to school.  When you woke up this morning you said, "Mom, I'm really excited and tiny bit nervous!" We had our normal morning routine, make our beds, get dressed, meet downstairs for breakfast, family prayer and scripture study.  Then instead of heading right to school we went over to the cul d' sac for a second breakfast.  All the neighborhood kids meet over there on the first day of school for breakfast and then they walk over to school together.  It's a fun neighborhood tradition.  Once we got to school, it was a bit chaotic.  I felt like by the time we found your line and made contact with Ms. Rennie the bell was ringing and you were walking away before I could even give you one last squeeze!  I'll admit, I cried watching you walk into your classroom.  You are growing up so healthy and strong right before my eyes.  My little squishy baby cheek boy is now a confident, smart, kind and brave 1st grader.

You and Dad called me at work as soon as you got home to report on your day.  You said it was an AMAZING day and that Ms. Rennie is the bestest teacher you've ever known.  Makes my heart happy to know you already love Ms. Rennie so much.  You earned a blue, which is the highest you can earn in a day.  And also received two stickers for raising your hand to ask a question.  You have a sweet girl in your class that is in a motorized wheelchair.  When I asked you about her you said.  "Mom, that's not a wheelchair, that's a 4 wheeler!  She get's to lay on that and it goes super fast!  She's awesome Mom!"  You have such a kind and open heart!  Love it.

I'm so glad you had a great day!  We love you with all our hearts!!


Love,

Mom

To Max's Future Children

Dear Max,
Just you and I were eating dinner together, It's Wednesday night, so Daddy was at Scouts.  We had the funnest conversation about your kids.  You said that you wanted your son to be named Junior...after you ;) and your daughter to be named Tova, after your Swedish Sister.  You make my heart swell thinking of you as a daddy.  I hope that your daddy and I are giving you all the direction, love and encouragement that you need to make you the most amazing daddy ever!  Your desire to play and happy spirit will brighten and bless your children's lives in so many ways!  Just as lucky as I am to be your mother, they will be lucky to have you as their dad.  I love you Max!  To the moon and back times bazillion!

Love,

Mom

All the girls love you...

Dear Max,
Last night we had the Jameson's over for dinner, well Leslie, Rylea and Owen.  Brett is with the older scouts at scout camp.  Rylea has such a crush on you!  She tells all of us that she is going to marry you someday.  After they left, I asked you if you liked Rylea, you simply said..."Mom, I like her as a friend, but I'm to young to have a girlfriend!  I'm just a kid!"  Yes, you are Max!  Great Answer!  So I asked you when you thought you'd be old enough to have a girlfriend... you said "18!" Yup!  That's right.  18 is a great age to have a girlfriend...except that you'll be leaving on your mission and you'll have to leave her behind.  Maybe it's just better to wait until your back from your mission.  I'm going to remind you of your 6 year old wisdom when you're anxious to have a girlfriend too early!  I love you Max!


Love,


Mom

Santa's Helper

Monday, April 20, 2015
Tomorrow is career day at school, so this morning at breakfast I started asking you what your thoughts are on what career you'd like to pick when you grow up.  Your answer to me was..."Mom, I'd like to be one of Santa's Helpers, you know one of his elves!"  I can't let you go to school as an Elf!  The older kids would give you the straight up details...There are no elves and no Santa...that kind of details can not be disclosed without the supervision of your parents to pick up the pieces.  I simply replied, that Santa's Helpers don't get paid, they do all their work as service to all the kids in the world.  So you need to pick a career that you'd get paid to do..."I'll be a veterinarian then"  Great!  We can do that!  I love you Max!!  There is never a dull moment when you are around!!

Love,
Mom

About you and your Dad....

Dear Max - 

I love the relationship you have with your daddy!  He is such a great example to you of what a man ought to be and I'm grateful that you get his guiding influence.  He teaches you by example and you soak it up.  It has been a great blessing in our lives to have daddy's "flexible" schedule.  Well, what seems to us as a "flexible" schedule, but the truth of it...he does more in the hours before you and I wake up than most.  He wakes up at 3:30 am, is at work by 4:00 am, most days goes to school at 9:00 am and is home by 2:00 pm to pick you up from school.  But his day doesn't stop there.  The two of you are our errand runners, homework doers, school lunch makers, soccer team players, yard work completers, oh and don't forget treat getters.  The list goes on and on.  I'm so grateful for all the two of you do for our family.  And I'm so glad Daddy has a little buddy with him!  You are two peas in a pod for sure!  I love you Max (and I love your Daddy!)

Love,

Mom

It only took 10 school days...

Dear Max,
Well, you broke a little piece of my heart today.  Before you get too worried, I'll let you know that I'm really just being dramatic.  But it's true, my heart sunk to my feet this morning as we were walking to Kindergarten on the 10th school day, and you turned to me and said, "Mom, you can just drop me at the gate, I don't need you to walk me in." WHAT?!?!  You don't need me?  That's all I heard, you don't need me!  Now, I know this is not true, cause trust me I'm still doing things for you that no mother of a 5 year old should have to do (wipe when it's a real doosey...if you know what I mean!) but that you don't need me to walk you ALL the way to Kindergarten.  That's a tough one to take.  I'll tell you a secret, I stood behind the wall, so you couldn't see me and watched you walk all the way into your classroom.  I'm sure I looked like a creeper, or maybe other moms saw me, and said to themselves, "Oh, that poor mom is experiencing her first "Mom, I don't need you" moment." I love you Max!  With all my heart!!!

Love,

Mom

We got a sleepwalker on our hands....

Dear Max,
It all started about 3 weeks ago.  Dad and I had just settled in for a nice evening of catching up on our favorite TV shows.  You were tucked into bed, sawing logs and Daddy and I were tucked into our chairs enjoying the silence of the home.  You had been asleep for a couple of hours, and then I hear your door open and you start coming down the stairs.  You were a bit frantic and crying.  I figured you'd had a nightmare, so in my Mommy instincts kicked and immediately summoned you over to snuggle.  You headed my way, but came to the side of my chair, pulled down your pants and started to PEE on me!!!  I'm not making this up!  I'm serious!  I screamed in horror as I hadn't had "Max Pee" on me since your were a tiny baby!  Your Dad...Yup, he was in his chair laughing hysterically.  Sure looking back now, I can see the humor, but at the time, I was not laughing.  I screamed for you to stop, and put my hand over your "private square" all while walking you into the bathroom to finish what you stared.  That's when I realized, you were not awake.  You were sound asleep, I literally held you up to finish going to the bathroom, and then took you back upstairs.  While walking you back upstairs, your Daddy had already gotten out the carpet cleaner and was cleaning up the mess.  That made it very easy to forgive his laughter during the "incident" - Your Daddy and I have gotten a few laughs in since then about that night.  But was totally strange to me was that the next morning, you had ZERO recollection about the "incident" - sleep walking crossed my mind, but it was the first time anything like this had happened, so truly I just discounted it.  Well, then last night in my haze of sickness and falling asleep, I hear footsteps in the house.  I of course wake up Daddy and ask if he will investigate what is happening, as I fear someone is in the house.  Your Dad sure does love me, cause he didn't hear a thing but at my request he set out to investigate.  He checked your room first, and you were not there, I'm sure this is when panic set in for Dad.  He headed downstairs and then he could hear you crying.  He found you downstairs in the laundry room bathroom just standing there totally lost, confused on how you got there and bawling.  He picked you up and as soon as he had you in his arms, you fell fast asleep.  Of course I was a nervous wreck thinking of all the millions of outcomes that could take place with you just getting up walking around the house, you could walk out the front door, the back door, the garage door, you could pick up a knife, scissors, put a screwdriver in an electric outlet!  There is no telling what you could have done?!?!  I mean, the possibilities of those things are slim, considering you just walked down to the bathroom, but still!  IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED!  So I suggested what any Mom with an overactive imagination would have.  I'll make a bed on the floor by my bed for you to sleep!  Oh and then started a conversation with Dad about installing extra locks on all the doors so you can't walk out of the house!  Safety first!  I love you Max!  I love the joy, laughter, excitement, adventure and surprises you teach and bring to our family!


Love,


Mom