Dear JP

Dear JP,

Happy Birthday sweet boy! I can't believe you are already 3! I still remember holding you in my arms for the first time and you were so shocked and overwhelmed with the great big world! Since that day 3 years ago you have more or less decided that the world is ok. You have adapted to the wild and crazy family you found yourself a part of. And sometimes, though you might not admit, you think your people are pretty great.

I love watching you and seeing how different you are from your sisters. You are a boy through and through. You love to make noise (although you don't necessarily want someone else making noise...you still hide from the vacuum cleaner).  Every thing you do comes with a sound effect and you think any *ahem* noises that come from your body are hilarious. You love superheroes, trucks (especially fire trucks), trains, blocks, sports and your absolute favorite toy is your sword that you got when we ate at Cinderella's castle at Disney World last year. You can be rough and tumble and you get into things that your sisters never would have even thought of. You love Franklin but aren't so sure about any other dog. You love cats...especially our next door neighbor, Robbie and Tim's cat Keekers.You love bounce houses and trampoline parks. You enjoyed the pool this year, as long as you didn't have to get your face wet. You love, love, love the beach and are always asking me when you get to go back. You are a man's man. If there is an adult male around you'll be right beside them. You love to be one of the guys. This year you have made some friends who are your age (you've always had your buddy Ruth at church and she is still one of your favs!) and I love seeing you interact with them and how excited you get when you see a friend!

You can be loud and rough and wild but you also have a sweeter, calmer side. I have loved seeing this sweet side come out recently.  You LOVE to crawl in my lap and read books. And you want me to read them over and over and over again. If you're getting sleepy you will wrap your arms around my neck and lay your head down. If you're scared or tired you'll hold your arms up and say "hold you". You love to sing songs...especially the ones you learn in Sunday School. The other day you were looking at your Jesus Storybook Bible and you kept singing "Jesus Loves Me". So sweet..

This year has been a year of milestones. You started talking so much more and I have loved hearing all the funny things in your head. This year we ditched the pacifier completely. You actually did remarkably well with getting rid of it at night! This year you were potty trained. You figured it out pretty quick but it definitely took a while for you to be super consistent (it didn't help that you got really sick with pneumonia about a month after you were potty trained). But now you wear big boy underwear all the time and are doing great! We still have the occasional accident but you are getting better and better about telling me you need to go ahead of time! This year saw you sending your best buddy to preschool 5 mornings a week. That has been pretty hard for you but you're adjusting and you are already looking forward to it being your turn in preschool next year! This year you moved to a big boy bed and you and Ruthie started sharing a room which you both love.

I love to watch you with your sisters. They love you to pieces and you are becoming a little more willing to join in with whatever they are doing. You still prefer to play with them one at a time though! I still remember when we brought you home from the hospital and they crowded around you and your eyes got so big and you looked terrified. You pretty much reacted like that around them for the first year or so of your life. Emmie is your nurturer. She loves to read to you and take care of you. Ellie loves to be silly with you and makes you laugh. And Ruthie is your partner in crime. The two of you are going to give me lots of gray hairs! You LOVE having Ruthie in the room with you and she loves it too! If Ruthie isn't in the room at bedtime you are so sad. I had been separating y/all at naptime so that you would actually nap and not play but I finally had to relent and let her sleep in your room at naptime. You were just so sad without her. (And y'all have done an amazing job at not playing and taking naps...now if only that would transfer to bedtime!) And this year you will get your first cousin...you are pretty excited about the new baby although you were a little perplexed when we told you the baby was in Aunt Ruth's tummy!

JP, I can't wait to see where life takes you. You are all boy but you are growing up with 3 big sisters. Your life is never going to be boring for sure!

I love you sweet boy and I am so looking forward to all the fun adventures we will have this year!

Love,
Mama

2017

2016

2015