Dear Finn

Dear Finn,

You're seven years old today.  Man, that went fast!  Every year on your birthday when we put you to bed we tell you the story of how you came to be part of our family.  How much we wanted another baby.  How much we wanted a brother for Tate.  How we decided on the name Finn.  We tell you about what a happy, sweet baby you were.  Such a great sleeper and an easy smiler.  Your brother was so proud to be your big brother, telling people everywhere we went, "This is my baby brother, Finn.  Isn't he so cute?!"  I just finished this bedtime routine for the 7th time and I get a little choked up every time remembering how wonderful it was to meet you and thinking about how happy I am that you're my son.  You are the perfect little brother for Tate and the perfect big brother for Kenna and Taryn.  You are fun and loving and goofy.  You can be patient when you need to wait for a bit and you bask in our attention when it's your turn.  We just adore you, kiddo.

This year feels like a very full year.  Since your last birthday we've traveled to Egypt for spring break, Amsterdam and Belgium on the way home for repat, we went snorkeling in Jeddah, and to Czech Republic, Austria and Germany just last week.  You're a great traveler.  You walk for hours with little complaining.  You braved the cold last week and I didn't hear you mumble about being cold once.  You took to skiing like a fish to water.  You LOVED it.  The speed, the new ability, the sense of control.  You took a full day of lessons one day and just the morning the next day and you mourned the fact that it wasn't another full day of lessons and that we had to go home the next day.  "But mom, I'm going to miss so many lessons.  How am I going to get better if I don't ski for a WHOLE YEAR?!"  By the end of the second day you had moved to the big learning hill.  It was pretty steep and you could turn around cones and make corners like a pro.  You got going pretty fast but could always stop at the bottom before you hit anything.  Your mastery of your physical body continues to baffle and impress me.  Two days of skiing and you'd think it was your life's calling.  You were absolutely in love with the feeling of being on skis which made your dad beam with pride.  You were asking, "How long do you think it will take before I can ski black diamonds?  I wish I could just see what one would look like." Which sounds just like your dad.  You two are two peas in a pod.

This fall Dad and I were in a musical and you were beyond proud, telling everyone that your dad is in "Grease" and is going to be the one to sing "Greased Lightning".  It's been your bedtime song request for a while now and the way you admire your dad is pretty darling.  Since we were busy with a couple of rehearsals a week we took a step back in activities for our family this fall.  We let you sign up for just one sport and you picked baseball.  This year you're in coach pitch and your dad spend a lot of time with you at the racquetball court pitching to you and helping you master your swing.  You loved playing baseball.  Especially the games when the family would come watch you and cheer for you.  You absolutely glow with a little cheering on.  You always have.  You walk to the plate and look sideways to make sure I'm not talking and that I'm watching so I don't miss a thing.  

There have been times in the past year when you have really struggled in sports.  In every sport you play or every game you play at home, it is very difficult for you to try to balance your competitive nature with learning to be coachable and learning to deal with failure.  You want to win and be good at things right away.  To be naturally gifted at everything.  And when you find out that you are not as good as other people or when you fail or lose, you are deeply embarrassed and disappointed.  We're trying to help you and give you chances to grow and practice but man, it is so hard for you to not be the best right away at everything you try.  

You finished a great year with Ms. Karr in Kindergarten.  She absolutely adored you, especially your writing.  You are a very creative writer and you use the cutest language to describe things.  Your latest unit in your first grade class with Mrs. CT was a how-to unit and you wrote a "how-to be a ninja" book which was so so funny.  Mrs. CT is a great fit for you and you have a few good friends in your class which contributes to the only thing you need to work on in class: talking and being goofy with your friends.  You're a great reader, your math homework is a cinch for you and you dive in and finish it by yourself every day, and your handwriting is neat.  You don't have a lot of confidence in your reading ability sometimes but you're a great reader.  

You're still a great eater, preferring fruit to pretty much any sweet.  You love to bake with me but you're not a huge fan of eating what we bake.  Once the process is complete you could kind of take or leave the result.  You love almost any fruit.  The only one I can think of that you're not a fan of is kiwi.  You love soups and gobble them down at dinner time with lots of compliments on my cooking.  Which makes me feel like a million bucks because pretty much none of the other kids will eat soup willingly.  You like cheese bread and pizza.  You'll eat sandwiches but you don't love them.  You love pasta with red sauce.  You'll eat most everything but it doesn't seem like you really "need" food.  It's not something you're usually excited or passionate about.  Which is sometimes baffling to your dad and I because we love good food so much.  We just had your birthday party and when we asked you what you wanted for your birthday party meal you were kind of confused.  "Whatever you think, Mom."  But don't you have something you want to eat? "Not really.  I just don't want cake.  Can I have donuts instead?"  Well all right then.  

You and I are still in the middle of the 3rd Harry Potter book.  I think you got a little spooked by the dementors because you wanted to take a break from reading it for a bit.  But you still love the story enough to make it the theme of your birthday party.  You have 7 friends to your party and I think you felt loved and celebrated.  Your party was two days after our play closed so it was kind of rushed but still fun.  

Right now you like pretty much any show your brother likes.  Dinotrux, Ninjago, Dragons Race to the Edge.  If you can watch it and then play it with Tate, you're a fan.  You read little books you bring home from school for reading practice but you haven't really found a book you want to read on your own yet.  You'll read to your sisters if I ask you to but you'd pretty much always rather be wrestling or playing outside.  We have two boys across the street, Fawaz and Faraz, who come to the door asking for you and Tate every day after school and when you're through with practicing piano and homework you are always outside.  Riding your bike, swinging from the palm tree branches, running or rollerblading around the cul-de-sac.  We'll be moving to a new house across camp soon and we are going to miss this outside space so much because it's been so easy to just send you out to play in the cul-de-sac and then call you in for dinner.  

You're doing really well at piano.  You occasionally have a grumpy attitude about it and you have to take a minute to cool down, but once you're back you're good to go.  You play really well and are very proud of songs you learn to play well.  You play them over and over for anyone who will listen.  You performed so well in the last recital a couple of weeks ago.  Nana and Grampa were here to visit and you loved having them here to play with you.  You'd read every day to Grampa after school and play your songs for Nana.  You played a baseball game that they were able to see and you just loved having more people to cheer for you and celebrate your successes.  

Finn, you are the middle child in the hardest way.  You're followed by two little ones, one of whom is pretty tricky.  Especially this past year.  And I think it's worn on you this year.  You have struggled this year feeling left out or feeling less loved.  You have been more needy this year and we've been trying to recognize when you just need a mom or dad date.  A little late night chat with us or some batting practice with your dad, or something else to reassure you that you are special and important to us.  You are very aware of what is fair and you do not handle unfair well.  You're very bothered that your sisters get to help me make breakfast now because you have to get dressed and do your piano technique.  You love to help me cook and they get to do it because you're getting ready.  That is not fair and you do not like it.  But honestly, it's all you can do to get up and ready in time in the morning.  Mornings are not your favorite time of day.

You've developed a bit of sass in the past couple of months.  I think it's going to be a tricky year for you in that way.  I've heard that about year 7.  You're testing us and it's not great.  But when we put you back in line and help you see what you sound like and how it makes us feel you consistently break down in tears apologizing and feeling awful for being unkind.  You've developed a tender heart and being reprimanded always breaks you down a little bit.  

You have ideas in your mind of exactly how you want things to go and when it doesn't go that way, it can be frustrating for you and hard to get over.  For example, I asked when you wanted to open your birthday presents and your response was, "When it's dark outside and night time so we can turn off the lights and light the candles and the only light will be from the candles when you sing to me."  But then I reminded you that you were feeling sick today, (Yep, on your birthday.  It's the worst luck) and you didn't want your cake until tomorrow.  "Oh...okay.  I guess just a dinner time then.)  So we'll have to make your specific birthday cake lighting wish come true tomorrow!

You've become obsessed with paper folding this year.  You've learned several types of paper airplanes, little fortune tellers, origami boats, and other things and once you learn something new you fold them obsessively for everyone and they're all over the house and your bring them to school and come home with more from school.  You love developing new skills and sharing them with people.  You've come up with schemes of folding things and selling them to people.  You even sold one to our neighbor for a dollar and you were so proud of yourself.

Finny you are a treasure.  Your smile still lights up the room.  Your giggle is as infectious as ever.  You still make goofy sound effects constantly, trying to be silly and make everyone laugh.  You still love making friends and will play with anyone and everyone.  You are so loved, my boy.  Every year I look back when I tuck you in on your birthday at what life was like before you came to us.  Just like your brother before you and your sisters after you, you changed our family when you came into it.  We wouldn't be the same without you.  You add a silliness, a fun, and a sweetness to our family that is different from any of your siblings.  You help us remember to stay light and playful.  You hug us with your strong, solid little body with so much toughness that we can't help but smile.  You love us all so much and we love you right back.  It's so sad to think of how fast those 7 years have gone.  I miss my tiny little one year old bear cub Finn who loved to give running hugs that would knock you over and dunk on his tiny playschool basketball hoop.  But this 7 year old Finn is pretty amazing.  You are going to do such incredible things, my boy.  I have no idea what you'll become.  There are SO many things you can do and your capacity for learning and growth is unstoppable.  I feel blessed beyond words to be your mother.  To watch you grow.  To be the recipient of your hugs and your smiles and sweet compliments.  To listen to you read and play the piano.  To play games with you and snuggle during movies.  To teach you to tie your shoes and make lollipops.  I love you and I love being your mother, Finny boy. Happy, happy birthday, big kid. 

The world is yours, my boy.

Love,

Mom

Dear Tate,

Dear Tate,

Man, I can't believe you're 9.  This birthday hit us a little hard as we realized that you're halfway to 18.  Halfway through living with us and we're halfway through our time raising you in our home.  You seem so grown up in a lot of ways this year.  

This year of your life you've traveled to Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Germany, France, and of course, the U.S., Saudi and Bahrain.  Seeing you surf in Sri Lanka was a highlight for us.  You and your brother just popped right up over and over again and it was a favorite parenting moment to watch you learn and dig in at something unique like that.  Playing with Andrew in France was a highlight for you.  And for us.  You two are very similar and could just chat in the back seat of a van or walking around a market for hours on end.  It was interesting to overhear a few of your conversations and recognize that your instincts are good, your heart is in the right place, and also that the topics of conversation are changing.  You're growing up a little bit and you have mixed feelings about it some days.  This was the first trip where you didn't want to get a stuffed animal for a souvenir and that made shopping for a souvenir a little tricky.  And a little sad.  You didn't really know what to choose since you were out growing stuffed animals.  It's a funny in-between phase.  Not quite a child, but not quite a teen yet.  We'll get you through it all right.

This has been a big year.  Your baptism over the summer was relaxed and perfect.  The spirit was so strong when you came out of the water with that big smile on your face and gave your dad a huge hug.  We are so proud of you and the way you've upped your game this year.  You've been using Grampa's prayer coin to remind you to pray every morning and evening.  You remind us when we haven't prayed before a meal or that we need to read scriptures before stories at bed time.  You try to be reverent and answer questions during FHE.  You're trying to be more reverent and figure out what the sacrament means to you.  You're very concerned about your little cousin, Mads and you never forget to mention him in your prayer and he's always the first person you think of when we ask what you want to fast for each month. 

You finished second grade off well and seemed to have a good experience with Mr. Bremmer.  This year you have Mrs. McGee.  She seems to be a good fit.  She's positive and calm and has high expectations without being a disciplinarian.  There's no homework in her class, which you love.  She's been really great at keeping an eye on you and helping you manage situations that make you anxious.  You had a few months of OT this fall to work on your handwriting and it's improved so much.  

This year has been very busy.  You and your brother both played 3-4 sports in the fall and the spring and it's been MUCH busier than previous years.  I can't imagine how busy it will be when your sisters are old enough to add their activities to the schedule.  This fall you played soccer, basketball, had swimming lessons and OT.  This spring you're in gymnastics, tennis, and basketball.  Your dad coaches you in most everything and he knows how to push you and still make it fun and positive. You've decided that soccer is not your thing.  You just didn't love it.  You like basketball more and you are getting quite good at tennis.  You've got a great arm.  Wendy Weitzel is teaching you and Finn along with her two kids and we were very lucky to get in with her.  She's a great coach and you're improving a lot.  You've also started cub scouts this year.  You seem to like it and it's only 1-2 times a month.  Your leaders are Naomi Killough and Leslie Arnold and a lot of kids from our group are in there with you.  You've been able to go on a couple of overnight camping trips with your Dad and I think you've really enjoyed having that experience.  

With piano practice and sometimes multiplication flashcards or an extra math worksheet, our afternoons fill up quickly.  You feel busy and that can be overwhelming.  You don't want to drop any of your activities but you feel busy.  Hopefully we're squeezing in enough down time and fun, especially on the weekends, to keep you having fun and being a kid.  It's a tricky age because we want you to be able to try anything and everything you want to while you're still young so you can figure out which things are your favorites.  But we don't want to over-schedule you or our family.  Once again, kiddo, the fact that you're our first kid means that we're trying to figure things out right along with you.  We love you so so much, Tate and we're glad that you're patient with us as we try to help you along and learn how to parent you.  

This year you've been able to sign up for a club to attend once a week after school and you signed up for chess first, then lego building, and next is 3-d printing.  You love playing with legos.  Building the sets is fun.  But you could spend hours putting together tiny creations with different pieces.  Robots, vehicles with awesome weapons, etc.  Your favorite creations are usually small but have really developed stories that go along with them.  You also love reading and playing with your friends.  Fablehaven has been a favorite series this year.  You finished the whole series and you enjoyed the mythical creatures and legends that tied into their adventures.  We've been reading Harry Potter 4 and now 5 at night together and you still love those stories.  You've been going through some friend shifts a bit this year.  A couple of your friends haven't shown the kindest sides and you're feeling like you need to make some changes with how you spend your recesses.  It's been hard for you to figure out how to still be kind to them but not be with them all the time.  You're working through it though.  You've got a lot of kids who are friends and are really good kids.  We're lucky right now.  This year you got some roller blades at the sports equipment swap and you've taken to them really quickly.  Any time it's nice out you want to be outside playing with squirt guns or skating or riding your bike.  

You're getting to be a better eater.  You'll eat broccoli and green beans without too much persuasion.  You don't love them, but you'll eat them. You'll pretty much always eat chicken.  You'll eat apple slices with your sandwich every day.  Always with a fork.  You don't want to touch them.  You're so funny.  You don't love sauces.  If we make pasta, chicken, or anything with a sauce you'd prefer to have it on your plate before we put the sauce on.  You're not a dipper either.  You don't like ranch or ketchup.  No sauces.  You like eggs and breakfast is definitely your favorite meal.  You don't love when things are mixed.  I totally relate to that.  We had bacon wrapped green beans last night and you just kind of wanted them separate and then you would eat them both.

Piano is going well this year.  You are supposed to practice your technic every morning before school and then we do the songs after school.  You get in there and get your technique done by yourself and rarely need to be reminded.  You like to have a checklist.  Just like me.  You love checking things off as you play them and making sure you know the correct tempos and keys.  Chores are pretty much a breeze.  You can clean a bathroom all by yourself now and we just check on the quality when you're done.  On Saturdays we do chores and a really good piano practice and you just know to expect it and hardly ever complain.  Sometimes we let you order books from book orders at school and you are highly motivated to do extra chores to earn them.   

Tate, your siblings love you.  You and Finn can disappear into a lego box or play with squirt guns or bikes in our cul-de-sac all afternoon if we let you.  You guys rarely fight.  You certainly know how to bother him and he knows how to bother you, but for the most part you two are great buddies.  This year you've been getting more involved with your sisters.  They're quite a bit younger than you but you read them books if we ask you to and push them on the swings.  They love to have water fights with spray bottles and don't mind you soaking them one bit as long as they get to play with you.  I think that might change, but for now they like it. 

You're a remarkable boy, Tate-o.  You're very smart. You did your first standardized testing at school this year and you did exceptionally well.  You've got a tender heart and feel and cry easily when you feel sad or even when something sad happens to someone else or someone in a story.  You want everything to be good and kind and smooth and it breaks your heart a little when that doesn't happen.  You try to do what's right and you can be really hard on yourself if you feel like you've done something wrong.  You can be a complete goof and you love to be wrestled or chased.  

We love you so much, Tate.  We've had so much fun watching you grow for the past 9 years.  We're very proud of who you are and we know you're going to do amazing things in your life.  

The world is yours, my boy.

Love,

Mom

Dear Taryn,

Dear Taryn,

Oh Tarynie my little pipsqueak I love you so.  I can't believe you're already three!  This year has been a big year.  You and your sister have been two years old and all the it implies and it's been loud and passionate and crazy.  Thankfully there are also moment of sweet snuggles, sweet interactions with siblings, and glimpses of deep, good, strong, roots.  We love you two little crazies in all your exhausting, ear-covering, patience-trying glory.  

This year of your life you've traveled to Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Germany, France, and the U.S., Bahrain, and Saudi.  Your dad and I have figured out that you and your sister get motion sickness which causes vomit on long car rides.  You also get sick when you're over-tired.  If we miss a nap, or are even late for a nap, if we have a hard over-night flight, we're pretty much guaranteed to see vomit out of at least one of you.  In the car, in the airport, in a restaurant or store.  It doesn't matter.  If we've pushed you too hard, it pretty much always ends in throw up.  

You had a great time in Sri Lanka.  We spent a lot of time at the beach which you loved.  You were crazy brave at the beach.  You love swimming.  You're a little more hesitant about getting all the way under the surface than your sister but I think you're a little braver in the waves of the ocean.  We did have one incident at the sea turtle hatchery.  The man in charge handed you a baby sea turtle.  Little 2-year-old you all by yourself while Dad was helping Kenna and I was taking some pictures of the boys.  You were a little worried about it but thought it was cute until it twitched its flipper and then you threw it up in the air out of fear.  It fell pretty hard and swam just a little slower after that.  Eesh we felt so bad, but you just panicked and it's funny now!  

Our Christmas trip to Germany and France was pretty rough.  You and Kenna were really out of sorts.  You wanted to be carried all the time, and even though you're a teensy little peanut, you still get heavy after a long day.  And you only wanted your Daddy to carry you.  No one else.  So many tantrums and so much screaming.  You wanted nothing to do with Auntie Mallo which broke her heart.  I think all the changes of traveling finally caught up to you and it was just too much.  Luckily, you warmed up a lot once we got back to our own house and your own room.  It's made your Dad and I very thoughtful about how much traveling we can do and how to make sure you ladies feel safe and stable while we're on the move.

You're still sleepy and ready for nap time every day.  You often tell us, "I'm so tired.  I need to go to bed."  You've always been sleepier than Kenna but lately you've been waking up in the mornings before Kenna.  You sit in bed around 6 every day no matter what time we get you to bed and yell "I want to get out.  I want to get out." And you'll keep yelling it until we come get you out.  

You and your sister get along beautifully most of the time.  You know how to tease your siblings but you don't do it unless we're busy getting things done like practicing or cooking meals and you're not getting enough attention.  You and your sister have done a lot of vocal strengthening this year.  Your screams are well-practiced.  It's been a very different year 2 than we had with either of your brothers.  When you play together nicely, holding hands while "dancing" (running in a circle until you fall down or hit something), singing songs, pretending to be characters, it's just magical.  We put you two in big girl beds right before Christmas and we've had to start putting Kenna in Finn's bed across the hall for nap time because you both sleep for hours still but if we have you in the same room during nap time you just can't stop talking to each other.  

You're a pretty persnickety eater.  Your dad and I often ponder how you're surviving day to day on how little you eat.  You pretty much always eat pineapple, melons, apples, bananas, pears, certain chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese.  Sometimes you'll eat eggs, turkey, pancakes, french toast, strawberries.  You don't like tomatoes, most chicken, never bread. You'll lick the peanut butter off the sandwiches but don't want the bread.  You have a major sweet tooth but unfortunately you're not usually interested in bribery.   If you try something and then change your mind you just spit it right out on your plate.  You LOVE to help in the kitchen.  Almost every morning I get you and your sister up and before I can even get to the kitchen you've climbed on the counter to help me with the shake.  You love pushing buttons, dumping ingredients, and you take great pride in telling people that you helped make something.

You love an opportunity to help people with anything.  You were SO excited when I said you were old enough to help clean the toilet.  You could hardly stand how happy you were to put on a glove and wipe down a toilet.  You love to hand out the vitamins in the morning and you've taken a lot of pride this year in the phrase, "I can do it.  I can do it."  Feeling big and needed and important means a lot to you.

You've been sick a lot this year.  If someone in our family is sick, you always catch it.  You've been in the hospital a couple of times just because we can't get you to stop throwing up long enough to keep you hydrated.  It's scary because you get so limp and you're so teensy.  Luckily they take good care of you and a visit always gets things turned around.

You love to snuggle and be held when you're feeling low or tired or sick.  You're also good for a full body squeeze when you're really happy.  Christmas was so fun this year.  You were SO grateful and happy and kept telling everyone, "Oh thank you SO much!  You're the BEST!"  You're becoming more affectionate which has been SO nice.  You're still very shy and standoffish with non-family members but you love our crew.  It's a big problem if you're not out of your booster seat in the morning to hug and wave to your brothers when they get on the bus. My favorite thing you say is, "You're the best mom EVER!"  Which comes out when I do something you love like announce a park trip or give you a treat.  Every once in a while your little teensy voice gets so excited that the only way to describe it is that it sounds like all caps.  SO full of happy!  Of course, you also have a pretty serious all caps angry voice.  You often tell us off by saying something like, "And you will not EVER EVER DO THAT TO ME AGAIN!" As if you're the boss of the world, and my brushing your hair was the most horrible crime that has ever occurred.  Sometimes I laugh.  Sometimes it makes me a little flustered how boldly you sass me.  You and your sister are going to push us like crazy but we hope we can eventually help you learn how to use kinder voices, even when you're frustrated and to be respectful and nice as a first instinct.  I love your strength.  Your passion and frustration sometimes seem to just blast from your little body like you just can't keep it in.  It's resulted in some epic stubborn tantrums this year.  We know better than to get in a stubborn-off with you.  You win every time.  You're gonna need that toughness in this crazy world.  We just gotta fine tune it a little bit.

You're go through phases of getting into trouble every single time you're out of sight.  Stealing brothers candy from valentines or stockings or halloween (that sweet tooth), climbing on chairs to get to pens or scissors without permission, coloring with marker or pencil on every single piano key, putting a penny in the cracks of the piano keys, or my personal favorite, trying to shove all my belts into the AC intake vent.  You're constantly thinking.  It's kind of genius the ideas you come up with.  Sometimes I wish they weren't all geared toward what seems to be just trying to be naughty.  But again, fine tuning.

Little T, you are a marvel.  I love you so much.  You've got so much happening in that tiny body and brain of yours and I honestly can't wait to see what you're going to do.  It's gonna be big.  This year has been a bit crazy and I'm doing my best to mother you and your sister.  I'm still very new to this twin momma thing and I think I'll be scrambling to figure it out your whole lives.  But I love you two so much and I can't imagine what we would be like without you.  You are a busy, strong, energetic little peanut.  I'm so glad I get to be your Momma.  I'm trying my best to help you recognize and grow all the amazing things you are. 

I love you to pieces, little T-cup.  

The world is yours, sweet girl.

Love,

Mom

Dear Kenna,

Dear Kenna,

Oh Kenna Wenna, you have had quite the year.  You've been two years old in all it's glory and it's been quite the ride with you and your sister this year.  You are absolutely bursting with energy and you can be crazy hilarious and sweet as candy and you can also be full of emotion and volume and drama.  It's a hilarious balance.  This year of your life you've traveled to Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Germany, France, and of course the U.S., Bahrain, and Saudi. We've discovered that you and your sister have very sensitive gag reflexes.  You've had motion sickness many times this year and you also seem to suffer from bouts of nausea when you're over-tired.  If we're late for nap time, have an overnight flight (which we frequently do), or you just get SUPER upset and exhausted, you usually throw up.  It makes traveling difficult and anxiety inducing, knowing that motion and exhaustion are just par for the course and that usually means vomit.  Poor little girls!

You also have a VERY sensitive sniffer.  You love smelling things that smell good.  You frequently ask for gum wrappers or gum boxes and have been anxiously awaiting the time when you were big enough to chew gum too.  You love smelly lotions and perfumes and shampoos and hand sanitizer.  You'll carry things around and just hold them in front of your nose and sniff them all day.  You're also very sensitive to bad smells and stinky breath in your face, or a stinky bathroom, or even a dinner cooking that you don't care for will make you start gagging immediately and you'll run out of the room whining and gagging to get away from the smell.  Silly sweet girl!

Our trip to Sri Lanka was pretty great.  Lots of time on the beach and in the pool which you absolutely love.  You're such a little fish.  You seem braver in the pool and Taryn is a little braver at the beach.  Our Christmas trip to Germany and France was tough.  Really tough.  Missing naps, new sleeping arrangements and schedules and people threw you and your sister for a loop.  You were clingy, but only to Glenn.  You did NOT want to ride in your stroller, ever.  And you were a downright meanie to Auntie Mallo which broke her heart.  One time you went running after your Dad crying, "Daddy please pick me up or Auntie Mallo will get me!"  It was bizarre and so sad.  You were completely out of sorts and it made us seriously question how much traveling we're going to be able to manage this year.  Hopefully we'll be able to figure that bit out and help you feel a little more stable when we're on the move.  

You're a sort of picky eater and you don't eat much.  You'll pretty much always eat strawberries, melons, cheese, tomatoes, berries, mac and cheese, and pizza.  You could just drink milk for every meal every day and be completely satisfied.  You'll drink yogurt drinks and morning shake.  But pretty much everything else is hit or miss.  You don't love chicken, nuts, and bread.  You have a hard time processing them and they just sort of stay in your mouth for a long time until you eventually spit them into the garbage  Truly, most days I'm not sure if you get by on much more than a few bites at each meal and lots of milk.  But you're growing and you're happy so I guess we'll just keep putting food in front of you and hoping you'll eventually branch out. 

You really really love books.  You love having us read to you and any time anyone is reading a book out loud you come running and snuggle on our laps so you don't miss a thing.  But you seem almost equally happy looking through books and "reading" them to yourself.  Every evening we put away books and every morning you start getting them down from your shelves and carrying them around the house and reading them to yourself again until the whole house is just covered in books.  Lately you really love chapter books from the library.  We haven't started to read them to you yet.  We pick them up at the library for Tate.  But you latch on to them like having such a big, hard cover book is the coolest thing and you carry it around for days. 

You ask me what things are called a lot lately.  Titles of books, names of things and you repeat them and ask me over again.  You are a collector of words like your Dad and your big brothers.  It's adorable.  Especially with your cute voice right now.  All of your ar, er, ir sounds are "oi" instead.  So the word adorable is even more adorable when you say "adoiaboh!"  You are very good at expressing yourself when you're happy and when you're less happy.  Once when you were frustrated that I wanted to hold your hand while we walked down some stairs you screamed at me, "YOU...Broke....My...Life!"   You know how to sass and it's not my favorite, but you also know how to use a soft, quiet voice, to tell me "I wuv you so much momma" and then it's all okay.

You have music in your soul, little girl.  You sing with your whole body and when you start belting out a song you're usually running around a room or running up and down the hall.  I think your favorite is "Let it Go" but you can also belt out a song from Mary Poppins or My Fair Lady or The Greatest Showman.  You don't discriminate.  You love them all.  The addition of a cape or costume usually heightens the volume and facial expressions, which are already pretty impressive.  Any time music is on you dance.  Almost always "dancing" is spinning in circles until you fall over.  Then getting back up and spinning again.  You like to be applauded but you'll dance in an empty room too.  You just can't hold still when there's a tune playing.

You can be very particular about a few things and we're trying to figure out what they are so we can help you deal.  You do not love to have your hands washed because you hate having wet hands.  Wet hands means that when you touch your toys they will get wet and then it just all gets so much worse  So we thoroughly dry your hands when we wash them and that helps.  You're really funny about closing doors.  We close your door at every nap and every bed time but you still remind us every single time, "Mom, cwose the doi a widdle bit okay?"  Yep.  I always do.  You close every door in the house all day long even though we ask you to just keep them open.  It's a thing with you.  

You have very big facial expressions.  You have a serious look over your brooding eyebrows face that you can hold and not flinch even when we're laughing at you because, hon, it's hilarious.  You also have a pretty good puppy dog eyes face when you look up at me and ask for something with your sugary voice.  You love hugs and kisses but lately you've also been very clear about when you're done.  When you're hurt or sad you need some love to help you feel better.  A listening ear and a little tender snuggle.  But most of the time, you don't come searching for a snug.  You've become pretty independent lately.  

You're a tough little lady.  You have days when you are defiant and don't flinch even a bit when we ask you to change your tone or use kinder words or obey right away.  We're trying to figure out what motivates you to listen and obey but so far we're kind of stumped.  Most of the time you're very sweet but when you decide to push back there's not much that can stop you.  You're a little power house and I hope we can point that power in the right way because you are a constant bundle of energy and passion and it's gonna be pretty amazing when you decide what you want in life.

You love your siblings.  You know how to push their buttons but most of the time you play nicely as long as they don't have something you want.  My favorite parenting moments are watching you and your siblings love each other.  Wrestling softly with Finn, having a water fight with Tate, getting completely soaked and just so happy that he's playing with you that you keep going after him anyway, and playing on the teeter totter or singing songs with Taryn as you swing back and forth on the swing set. 

Kenna girl I love you something fierce.  You're such a fun little girl.  Two year old twins are tough at times and the melt-downs this year have been epic and frequent but all the snugs and sweet, thoughtful words and love in those beautiful chocolate eyes of yours washes away all the tough parts.  I'm so grateful I get to mother you and I pray every night that I'll do and say the right things to let all the amazing, powerful, bright things about who you are shine even brighter.  You're such a little star and we can't wait to see what you light up next.

The world is yours, my little girl.

Love,

Mom

Dear Finn,

Dear Finn,

Oh my Finny bug I can't believe you're 6 years old.  We moved to Saudi when you were just 2 and now you're 6!  So much has happened in the last 3 and a half years and you just keep rolling with it and growing more funny and happy and goofy with every second and we all love you to pieces. It's so strange this year to see all of our kids and realize how much we've grown and changed as a family.  Tate will soon be 9.  You're 6 and the age Tate was when we moved here and the girls are the age you were when we moved.  So fast.  So so fast. 

This year of your life we've visited Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Germany and France.  You're a dream traveler.  Sometimes you get tired and you show it but you're easily distracted and persuaded to keep going.  You took two surfing lessons in Sri Lanka and it was one of the coolest experiences I think we've had as a family.  You and your brother had so much fun and tried so hard and were able to get up on those boards over and over.  Your dad and I were so proud of you two.  You've had a lot of those moments this year.  Lots of firsts.  And the moments of those firsts that make us the most proud are those when we see your grit and determination to master something.  You get this look in your eye that tells us you're going to dominate this thing and pretty consistently you do. 

This fall you played soccer, t-ball, and basketball and had swimming lessons.  You were a busy boy but you loved it.  I don't even know which sport was your favorite.  You loved them all.  We had a few discussions about what it looks like to be a good sport.  You've learned not to call people "Loser" even if they lost (that was confusing for you), and how to not get angry and to congratulate the winning team if you didn't win.  That's a hard one for you.  You do NOT like to lose.  Even if it's just your own team, divided in two running drills, you don't like to be on the "losing" side of that drill.  You're a lot like your dad in that way.  It's going to be something that will be hard for you, but you have enough desire and fire that you'll not be the sort to give up when you do, occasionally, come out on the losing side.  Your Dad coached you in t-ball and basketball and you loved that.  You just thrive on a little attention and cheering on.  Once in a while you'd look at me on the sidelines trying to keep Taryn and Kenna busy during soccer and say, "Hey Mom.  Would you cheer for me?"  You take pretty well to being coached because you know it means you'll get better.  And you like that.  You like things that you can work at and then win because you earned it.  We got out a game a few weeks ago and you stopped me before I opened it and said, "Mom, is this a game of hope?  You know, like 'I hope I win'?  Because I don't like games of hope."  That's you in a nutshell.  You don't even want to mess with a game of chance.  A game of "I hope this spinner lands on a big number".  That's not your thing.

Both your K4 teacher and your Kindergarten teacher have commented on how big a heart you have.  That you're a loyal and kind friends and you're a great reader and student.  You're very smart and you've come a long ways in the last year on your reading.  We try to still practice every day but sometimes in the rush to activities and fitting in piano practice after school, it gets a little lost.  You have the same Kindergarten teacher as Tate did, Miss Karr, and you were SO very excited about that.  She adores you.  She tells us stories about the funny things you do and say.  You're such a funny boy.  You love to make people laugh.  The one thing Miss Karr says you could improve on is remembering when to turn off your goofy side when you're working with partners.  It's hard for you sometimes to turn off the silly when you have a captive audience.  Your sisters and I have missed you a lot this year as you've gone off to all day Kindergarten.  But it's hard to be too sad when we still get to see you at lunch and when you're so clearly thrilled with going to school.  You haven't complained about getting on that bus once.  You love school and you're so happy going and learning all day.

You're a fun buddy and play pretty well when you have friends over.  Your favorite things to do are outside.  Moving and running.  Jumping off of swings, riding bikes, pretending to be pirates or ninjas.  You had a big carnival birthday party this year with tons of games and a bunch of sweet friends.  We're proud of how kind you are to people and that your ability to feel for other people is so strong.  You can play with pretty much anyone, older or younger than you, boy or girl.  Doesn't matter. You can usually find some way to play together.  You're a kind, sweet boy with a really good heart. 

We started practicing the piano this year.  You're excited about it because you like to see the results of your work.  You like that if you stick with a scale or a song for just a few run throughs, that you'll have it down.  And then it's an accomplishment. Something you can show to Dad when he gets home from work, or Tate and get his approval.  You like to collect these things you can do and it makes you happy to have talents and skills in your pocket.  You're doing really well at the piano and you're trying to stick with it when songs get hard because you have the vision of how you'll feel once it's yours and you've got it down.  You played in your first recital in December and enjoyed doing your practice performances and performed flawlessly even though you were a little nervous.

You like to collect little things you find.  You'd come home from K4 last year nearly every day telling me, "Mom, I've got a surprise for you in my backpack!"  And it would be a piece of rope, a bottle cape, a stick, some sequins, a piece of tile or something else that you found on the playground or on your way to the bus and you keep it and treasure it for a few days.  You also LOVE to find coins and claim them as your own if you see them anywhere in the house or outside.

You love food, but I think you'd be pretty happy if you could eat fruit all day every day.  Your favorites are probably apples and pears.  But you love them all.  You're pretty good at trying anything I put in front of you.  You like soups and pastas, you don't love chicken because it just takes you a while longer to process it and get it down.  You like sweet treats but you don't really crave them or ask for them very often.  You LOVE to help me cook and bake.  When you were in K4 we'd bake something almost every week and you loved to bring a chair to the counter and help me put together something new and then share it with friends or neighbors or teachers.  You really wanted to buy some cinnamon oil in Sri Lanka insisting that we could find something to make with it.  So we did.  Home made taffy and lollypops and you were so thrilled.  When grandpa came to visit for Thanksgiving, you made rolls with him and it was a very sweet memory.  Watching your little hands figure out how to roll the dough into a ball just like Grandpa.  You are a great kitchen helper. 

You're a great helper around the house too.  When it's chore time I just ask you to do it and as long as you don't get distracted on the way, you're on it.  No complaints.  You can clean a bathroom with very little supervision, water the garden, dust and vacuum.  You're a big help and a great example to your little sisters. 

Your siblings love you, Finny.  You're such a great big brother to your sisters and little brother to your Tate.  You'll play with your sisters, give them rides on your back, wrestle them softly, and make the goofiest faces to make them laugh.  You and Tate get along so famously it's almost a shame to invite anyone else over.  You'll build new lego inventions, usually robots of some kind, tell each other stories, and just disappear into a new world together.  You very rarely argue.  But you do know how to push each other's buttons once in a while.  You guys are the biggest blessing and your dad and I just love watching you love each other.  We're so glad you're such good friends. 

It's all just flying by and I love every second I get to spend with you, my boy.  You still ask me to snuggle you when I turn out the lights at night and most of the time I just squeeze in there next to you and you say, "so...what should we talk about?"  Like you just don't want me to leave.  I can't think too long or hard about how fast you're growing or it makes me so sad because I love little boy you.  But the amazing things about you just keep getting stronger and clearer and you love to please us and your Heavenly Father so much that I just know the next years of your life are going to be just as wonderful as the ones gone by.  I'm honored and excited to be there for the ride, Finny boy.  I love you with a love as enormous as your giggle. 

The world is yours, my boy.

Love,

Mom