To My Birthday Boy

An Ollie Tale

Where to begin? Ah, yes.  Concerning Ollie...

Ollie's are happy, jolly and love to eat.  You've never worn shoes, you prefer to be held, comfortable and cozy, rather than run off and have adventures.

Thus making you a hobbit of sorts...

You are, by far, the funniest kid I know.  I can't count the number of times this year when your dad and I have to turn around, get out of the car, run away for fear of laughing at something you do that is freaking hilarious but we're supposed to be stern and reprimanding.  You throwing crumbs at Felix after we tell you not to.  You dancing to time out because you think it's so funny.  God, you are such a funny boy.  And you so know it.

You still like to eat.  Your palate has expanded.  You put things together I'd never think - grapes and macaroni, chocolate and ketchup - you seem to think it's great flavors.  Over and over you put food together that is odd but delicious.  Or sometimes you spit it out, "I no like this." And you love to be a chef like your dad.  Constantly making us food, warning us that it's hot, making second helpings.

One of my favorite things about you this last year is your love of your baby doll, Baby Noses.  From the moment you brought him/her home from Dezi's, he/she has been by your side.  I love that he/she changes genders almost daily.  I love you for taking care of her, for feeding and giving her love.  "Where my Baby Noses?" is uttered many times a day.

You think time out is hilarious.  Sure, mom, put me in a chair, I'l sing to myself until I get down.  I'll put myself there!  Until time out became 5 second nose to the wall time out, then it was serious business.  It's amazing how quickly you turned that corner of "oh, maybe I should listen."

You are kind and caring.  When mommy cries, you put your chubby little hand on my knee and pat it.  When Felix cries you hug him.  You are wary around strangers. You LOVE babies.  It is so darling how much you love babies, you're so gentle and careful with them.

I think you'll be our singer, our reader, our engineer, our baseball player.  You have such excellent pitch and your little shoulder bounce dance is perfect.  You are constantly bringing us books, "Read.  Read it again.  Again!"  You sit and figure how things work, you always want to see inside things.  You love the Take Me Out to the Ballgame song at bedtime.  I do too but I'll admit I miss our Tale as Old as Time and Oklahoma songs sometimes.

Thank you for choosing us as your family and me as your mom.  I am so honored to be your mama, to get to watch you grow up, figure things out, learn how to be independent.  "No, I do it."

It's been an incredible year, one of the best of my life.  I'd do it all over in a heartbeat, there and back again, for sure.

All my love,
Your mama

To My Birthday Boy

To My Birthday Boy,

Oh sweet boy.  What a wonderful, hilarious, joyful, exceedingly blissful year it’s been.  What do you think of your life so far?  It’s hard to believe that, four years ago today, I was just going in for one of your last checkups only to find out that you’d be joining us in the world a few short whirlwind hours later.

I CANNOT believe you're four.  Like, it just sounds wrong, like I skipped a year or three.  I see all your classmates (because you're so old you have freaking classmates now) turning four years old and I realize you're one of the youngest kids in class.  I was always the younger kid in class and loved it.  

You sure seem to love pre-school, Ms. Pam and all your new friends.  I know you going to preschool forever changed your dad and my life.  It feels like we found our tribe.  I'd heard it said that the parents you meet in co-op are friends you'll have for life.  I never believed it would be true.  But I see you graduating with JJ, Greta, Ryan, Ruby, Dylan, Gracelyn and all the rest.  I see our families together in the future.  Kickball, field trips, parks, vacations, whatever.  It feels wonderful when you talk about how much you love them.

But, so yeah, if you could stop growing up that would be great.  I feel like this year has been the hardest yet for me.  As you become more independent you become more stubborn, outspoken and have just the slightest tendency to dig your heels in.  No idea where you get that.  It will serve you well later in life.

Your sensitive side astounds me and you sure didn't get that quality from your mom.  Recently, when I was crying after a hard day you put your tiny little arm around me and whispered, "It's okay, mommy.  Let's spend some time cuddling on the couch together."  Ever the caretaker, ever the sweet sensitive boy, ever Felix.

I love how good you are at puzzles, I love how excited you are when you finish one, identify a letter on a sign, win at I Spy.  Your exclaimations are probably one of my favorite things.  How excited you get over the tiniest things. 

You are a really good listener.  No matter what I may say in the moment of you choking your brother or dumping you milk on the table.  You hear me.  I know that.  You check that you have my hand before talking to a stranger.  You wait with a hand on the car in a parking lot.  You know how to dress yourself, do your missions, clean up.  All the basics are growing right along with you.  Our goal to work ourselves out of a job - I can already see glimmers of success.

I love how "normal" you are.  The 4000 "why?" questions a day.  The constant stream of words coming out of your mouth.  How hilarious poop is to you.  How much you love trucks and video games and legos.  You are such a four-year-old.  You are such a boy.

I love thinking about everything that is right around the corner.  Summer, road trips, easy breezy days with you reading or writing independently.  I love thinking about life with you.  You're going to have an awesome life and I'm grateful to be your mama.  It's perfect that this year your birthday falls on Mother's Day.  

I think you’re a great, cool kid and the best son a mom could ask for.  Stay kind, stay curious, stay little forever.  Tuck in on the movie couch and snuggle your dad, brother and me for always.  You're my most favorite Felix in the whole world.  I know I say it each year, but seriously, best year of my life.  

All my love, 
Your mama