To Lucas on His 6th Birthday

To Lucas on his 6th birthday,

As I sit here tonight, my memory of when you are born, is starting to fade.  I remember some of the important parts but the details have all faded away now.  For the first couple of years after you were born I use to think your birthday should be a celebration for the feat that I went through and for surviving your first years, but now as you are older and you are so much fun, and my memory of what it was like to give birth has faded, I see your birthday more as a celebration for you.  So Lucas here are some of the highlights of your 6th year!

First you started, enjoyed, excelled at kindergarten, which I know is like.. of course it's kindergarten.  But I'm glad your first school experience was a good one.   We had seen glimpses of how you were as a learner (which is SO good), but we were proven right with school.  Your teachers loved you and you loved going to school.  Plus you did quite well at it.  You can read most things now and you can write or try and sound out alot of things too. 

You continue to be SO SO much like your dad.  You love computers and games.  You are not a morning person and can eat a lot.  You love to learn and are introverted.  Lego is your favorite toy and you both love to stay home and play.   But you can belt out a song just like your mom =)

Being the first born you taught me so many first.  You taught me how strong love can be.  You taught me how to survive on little sleep and how to have my priorities straight.  You taught me about all the different types of diggers and turtles and sharks and dinosaurs.   You taught me that consistency is one of the most important things in parenting.  You showed me that Darryl is an amazing father and I love him more for that.   You taught me how to dance to "Fix You" and to burp a baby and that Ovol is a wonderful invention.   You taught me that a baby and a little boy and a big boy's laugh is the best sound in the world.  You taught me to trust my instincts and that I love being a mom, especially your mom.

Happy Birthday Lucas

Love Mom

Monthly Newsletter: 62 and 63 months

Dear Lucas,

Things have been on the up and up with you for the last two weeks. You were sick for a whole week in the middle of January and it seemed to take a couple of weeks for you to get over it. You were very lethargic and had a fever for a week and then for the couple of weeks after that you were very emotional and we were walking on eggshells around you trying to figure out what was wrong. But it seems like you just needed some time to get over it.



The other day you read me a book. I couldn't believe it. We have been working on your reading, but you seemed to get it the last couple of days. We also read you a lot of chapter books, you really enjoy hearing a long more detailed story. You are sounding out words really well, looking at pictures to figure out what the story is and recognizing the same words throughout the book. Reading opens up a whole new world Lucas. I'm glad you have caught on quickly.



Christmas was good to you this year. It was a lego filled Christmas. You and Daddy had a great time putting together so many Lego sets. Often when I see you and Daddy playing together it makes me think of what many of my days will be like. You guys building Lego or playing video games. It's nice that you enjoy so many of the things that he does.



You continue to be a great, very nice kid. We have lots of play dates, you have friends, teachers like you. You are in gymnastics again and although you are the only boy you are loving it. You are also really enjoying crafts. We do quite a few crafts together. Sometimes they are guided and it's step one, step two. But other times it's you being creative and using tape and glue and paper to make your own things.



You are really enjoying playing out in the snow. Dad built you (and the rest of us) a great tobaggan hill. You love love to go out there and play. You and your Dad have had a great month together. You are getting into that amazing fun age where you are great to spend time with. Don't get me wrong you have always been a good kid, but now you are creative, do things yourself and your funny.

You and Nathan still get along quite well. Today was a really good day for the two of you. I think having the balance of being away for part of the day at school and then having the afternoons to play together is good. Sometimes he drives you crazy by his talking and repeating, but most of the time you make each other laugh by making funny words or saying pooh pooh.

We continue to do favorite parts every night and for your Dad and I most days our favorite parts have something to do with the time spent with you. We love you so much Lucas.

love mommy.

November Newsletter

Hi Boys,

This month is another combined newsletter. I wonder how you will feel about these newsletter when you are grown? I hope you are able to look back and read these and see how life was and see how much I love you. This month I didn't get a letter done for Nathan so I'm going to combine them. You spend a lot of time together. You are really really good friends. The talking and the playing happens all the time. Which in turn means there is also some fighting and not getting along. But most of the time you two are the best of friends.




Nathan you are talking a lot. Sometimes you'll repeat a word over and over. Sometimes you'll repeat every phrase I say. You've started to say funny words to, like "actually". Just like Lucas does. You are still having trouble with certain constanants, but most of your speech has come a long way.


Your favourite thing lately has been airplanes. We have an airplane book that we read most nice. You love to pick up Pop at the airport and we go and watch the airplanes come in. You talk every day about going on an airplanes. Whether it's to go see Aunt Lori or Grammie or go with Auntie Karen or Grandma. You are really wanting to go on an airplane. Next year baby... next year



As for you Lucas, things are continuing on quite hunky dory. You are still loving school. It is usually your favourite part of the day. You love Mrs. McKenna, your teacher. We have been talking lots about bullying and being nice to people. Luckily you are a really nice kid in the first place so we don't have to talk about it very much.



You have been more willing to try new things. Tomorrow you are going skating, which you were not interested in last winter. And you want to try skiing this winter. You have also become more willing to eat different foods. The other day we had stomput and you ate so fast, when last time we had it you didn't like it.


You love playing with Lego. Which thrills Darryl to no end. Most days on the weekend, when Nathan goes for his nap you want to go downstairs and play Lego. You love to build ships and play with them. You are also really enjoying spending time with your friends. We organize more play dates with them and you love playing with Matt and Shaun still too.



The other night, Nathan was sick, so to help us both sleep I brought him into bed with me. Later on in the evening Lucas you woke up with a bad dream. You were both in bed with me and I was the meat in your boy sandwich. It was so peaceful to hear you both breathing. I slept great.


Well boys, may the fun continue into next month. Christmas is coming and I'm looking forward to seeing all of the joy and excitement on your face for the season.

love you both

love mommy

Monthly Newsletter: 61 months

Dear Lucas,

This week you had your 62 monthly birthday. Which is 5 and 2 months. You are becoming more and more responsible. I really feel like are getting older. I'll leave you to play in the back yard for a bit. Or if I ask you to put on your shoes, I know for sure you'll do it. Or help me clear the table, you are becoming very responsible.


We had a crappy month as we went back to Ontario for Uncle Ian's funeral. I didn't know how you would react to it. At first I wasn't really sure you understood what was happening, but one night we were having one of our conversations and I knew you did. I said "tomorrow we are going on an airplane" You kicked your feet with excitement. I said "You will have to be good though, as we are going to be around all of daddy's family". You said " Everyone, but Uncle Ian" and I said yeah "everyone but Uncle Ian". I've got to say you were so good throughout the weekend. You seem to have a good ability to access a situation and know how to act. You have enough wisdom at 5 to look at a situation and follow the lead of most people.

School continues to go really well for you. I had a interview with your teacher and she hit the nail on the head about you. She said, you are always taking everything in, always learning. She gave an example of you and sorting. There are a whole bunch of small animals that you are suppose to sort. So you "super" sorted them. You didn't just sort the turtles into one group, but sorted all the different kind of turtles. Turtles, leather-back sea turtles, tortoises etc. Glad to see that all the zoo visits and books you were taking in all the information.



You are also in swimming lessons this fall. It is also going really well. You can dive down to the bottom of the pool. And although I won't let you swim in the big pool by yourself yet you probably could. You love swimming, when swimming lessons are done. You swim to the edge of the pool till you have to get out. Just like school, you are a really good student in all situations.

You and Nathan are continuing to play together more. It is so nice for you to have a brother to play with. You guys tonight made up this game called "turrets" which were like a kind of bomb that you guys would run around and destroy. You also played a rousing match of Hungry Hippos together. You love to make him laugh. Which makes you laugh, which makes him laugh and it continues on and on.


Grammie came since the last newsletter too. You were so thrilled about that visit. You followed her around like you were her shadow. Of course she ate it up. She would sit in your room in the evenings and Daddy would read both of you James and the Giant peach. She would play with you and pull the wagon when walking you to school. You would ask for her to come up for extra hugs after we left your room. You really enjoyed her company and took to her quickly.


Lucas you are a really good kid. I'm so proud to call you my son (Keep that up =)

love mommy

Monthly Newsletter: Lucas is 5

Dear Lucas,

Today you turned 5 years old and that seems unreal to me. When I think about the number it makes me feel sad and kind of old. My oldest child is already 5. Where has the time gone and how can I make it stand still. But when I think about you and the person you are, 5 is great and awesome and makes me feel proud. I love to be around you and I love the person you have become. I am so proud to send you out into the world, as I know you will be good and kind.



So lets summarize some things over the last couple of months, and talk a bit about this things I think are the most awesome about you. Summer has been fun. You have been working hard on your swimming and your reading. Swimming we have been doing lots of it in the lake in Kelowna. And in Oma and Opa's hot tub. It's amazing how a year has changed your ablilites. You are also working with Daddy in learning how to read. You are great at sounding out all of the letters in a word and trying to put all of those sounds into a word. You are a smart cookies and I love it when your vocabulary comes out. A couple of months ago you were describing a song and said you liked it because it sounded so peaceful.



You are such a nice kid. You worry if I get mad at you, you want to do things right. When I get upset you always ask if it is with you and if it is you try and rectify it. When you finished school this year, your teacher wrote you this very nice letter about what a good kid you are. You care about people and your friends and your family. The other day the salmon was all gone at dinner and Nathan started crying, your Dad and I didn't have any left, and you did. And although you love salmon, you gave it to him because he wanted it so much. You are also good at helping around the house. It is a normal occurrence for you to clear your plate without me having to ask. And you don't cause a stink when I ask you to clean your room or help to clean up the playroom, or another mess you've helped to create.



You are certainly growing in your interests. Gone are the days of trucks and Diego and Cars. And in are the days of Spiderman and Star Wars. You love to play video games and eat oatmeal. You can be picky about food, although will often try things at someone else's home and then report to me after that "oh now I like red grapes". You like pasta and meat and cheese and mashed potatoes.


You love your Grandma and Pop, all of your 3 super fun Aunts and Grammie. You love playing with your brother and share alot of similar interests with Darryl. It's amazing to watch you and Darryl together. You can see there are different times when you both look at each other with "ahhh". Like I can't believe Daddy can do that, or if Daddy is looking at you thinking " I can't believe Lucas can do that".




You continue to love music, if we don't have it playing you will often request it. And you have great taste in music. You love Queen and Prince and Glee and the Weakerthans. You will sing along with Lady Gaga and the Beatles.


Lucas you are such an amazing kid. I don't know how I got so lucky. Lucas I didn't know it was possible to love another person so much until you came into my life. And the more you grow and the more I get to know you as a person the more I love you and the bigger my heart gets.

love mommy

My Awesome Kid (aka Lucas's Monthly Newsletter)

It's been ages since I've written some monthly newsletter, but I have been spending more time with the kids and feeling lots of love for them lately, so here is a post about Lucas.


I've been feeling episodes of of that kind of crazy pride, where your heart feels like it's going burst you are so happy. I think one trait of Lucas's I have been loving lately is that he is a great students. Teachers, coach's and other parents love working with Lucas. He is good listener and does what is asked of him. He is excelling at most everything he tries. He is doing really well at socceer. The first time he didn't want to take the ball from the other team, but us and the coach talked to him and worked with him and now he is great at it. He is one of the best kids on his team. He listens and feeds off our encouragement and continues to get better and better.



He is also doing really well in school. His writing is getting better. His teacher says she's one of her favorites. Again I think because he is such a good student.



He loves to sing. He loves the songs from Glee, especially the fast ones. His favorite has been Ice, Ice Baby. The other day he asked me not to sing it so he could listen to all the words. I see so much of his personality from Darryl it's nice to see some of me in him.



Speaking of Darryl, Lucas and Darryl are going to be the best of buds as Lucas continues to grow up. Lucas loves to play video games and lego and all the things that Darryl loves to do. They love to read the same kind of books and dig in the dirt.

I feel so lucky to have such an awesome kid.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Monthly Newsletter: Month Fifty Four

Dear Lucas,

As I sit here typing this you are trying to fall asleep in your bed. It's funny becuase you won't ask Daddy to sit in your room becuase you know he won't. But I am a sucker for you and your love, so hear I am sitting in your room while you tell me about the book "Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus". Luckily your repetorie of books is both chapter books and picture books again. For a while there all you wanted was chapter books. But I can see you really studying the words with picture books and saying words you recognize. It's so cool to watch you learn.



This week you finished your gymnastics course. You love love gymnastics and you are quite good at it. Your teachers also really enjoy teaching you. It is a fun way for you to get some extra exercise in the week. This week Nathan and I got to participate with you and we all had a really good time. At one point you hung from a huge bar about a foam pit. I could see the fear in your face about how high up you were, but you did awesome and dropped and was really excited about it.


Another fun part about you growing up is watching you interact with your friends. Whether it's shoot em up with Elliot or video game with Shaun or Lego with Matt, it's always fun to see you interact with other kids. Although I usually take that time to clean or get other things done, sometimes I eavesdrop on what is going on and usually I am very proud of your behaviour. The other new thing this month is your first good friend who is a girl. You often talk about your friend Brooke from preschool and the teachers commented the other day on how cute you were together.



Another thing I am so proud of with you, is what a great big brother you are. It is so great to watch you help Nathan. It makes my heart fill my chest with love when I see you helping him or you guys playing together. A couple of times this month at the zoo and at Let's Play, you were so great with helping him get through obstacles or shielding him from the big kids. You are such a excellent big brother.



This month has been a challenging one for us. And you have picked up on the stress. I found you have been a bit more emtional then usual. I hope that our money situation doesn't continue for too long and that the stress doesn't affect you too much. But maybe it will be good for you and when you do get a new toy or go to McDonalds for dinner it will be a big deal, like it is suppose to.

I love you Lucas and feel so lucky to be your mommy.

love mommy