Letter to My Birthday Baby Boy: 4 Years Old

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Rushton Jeb Walter, 

Oh, how I adore you! I cannot honestly say that I have savored and enjoyed every single drop of your "baby-ness." You're my little sidekick, and I've loved hanging out with your every day while the big kids are in school. You were supposed to enroll in Pre-K a few weeks ago, but I just couldn't' do it. You'll be really old for your grade, but you're my baby and I want to keep you with me for just one more year. Your personality...oh your personality! In LilliAnn's words, "What I love most about Rush is his adorable personality and his kind heart." You are extremely outgoing and social, and you make friends easily. Everyone you meet falls in love with you, and you have a way of making people smile and laugh. You're sweet and gentle, but also fierce and intense! You LOVE to wrestle and "battle," and playing super heroes is among one of hour favorite things right now. 

You still sleep with mommy and daddy, and you like to hold my "booby" every night while you fall asleep. Daddy thinks it's super weird and awkward, but I see it as your comfort and your lovie. You nursed for three years, and snuggling up close to me became your routine and makes you feel secure. 

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You played soccer last fall and did well, but you're really wanting to play "the tackling game" (football) and wrestle! You're wrestling stance is pretty cute, by the way! You've been riding your bike without training wheels since your last birthday, but this year you're finally starting to ride it on the road instead of just the driveway. You love hanging out at Nana and Papa's, and you have become pretty attached to your Papa! He loves hooking you up with the latest basketball shoes, or bringing your donuts for breakfast. He also sneaks you Coke when you stay with him, and you think it's so funny!

You're not crazy about learning your letters, but you know all of your numbers and can count past twenty. When I ask you what a letter is you say, "I know it, but I'm not telling you." Haha! You do, however, know all of the letters in your name and how to spell your name...and you and sort of write it as well! But...you hold your pencil like a caveman just like Reid! You are SUPER stubborn and when I try to teach you how to hold it correctly, you won't have it and only want to do it your way! You may not know your letters very well or hold your pencil correctly, but you have an AMAZING vocabulary for your age, and you are very intelligent. You use words like destruction, species, extinct,  damage, and lioness in the correct context. And you love asking questions and trying to understand complicated concepts. I love your curiosity! 

One of my favorite things is that you're left handed...just like me!! You write, eat, cut, and throw left handed, however, daddy thinks that you'll be a right-handed batter. Working with you on baseball fundamentals has been a little bit harder for daddy than it was when he started teaching Reid. You are quite a bit more stubborn and like to do things your way, Daddy doesn't want to push all the sports stuff and says that it will all come with time. He's learning his second go round!

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Something that daddy and I recognize in you that is very special is your heart for the Lord at such a young age. You love praying and talking about Jesus, and one of your very favorite things in our family devotion that we do at dinner time. You are always engaged and asking questions, and when I ask if a book of the Bible is in the New or Old Testament, amazingly, you always get the answer  right! You really enjoy going to Sunday school or church classes, as well as your class that you go to during my Tuesday morning Bible study. You love watching Bible story cartoons, Bible Man videos, and Veggies Tales too! 

Besides Jesus, your favorite Bible character is John the Baptist and you love saying that he "wears camel hair and lives in the Wild Wild West." You love the story about Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist, and the other night at dinner you asked why you couldn't get baptized when you were three. I tried to explain it to you, but you insisted on praying to Jesus to tell him that you wanted to be able to be baptized when you were three because He lives in your heart. 

Sometimes you start praying out of nowhere, and there have been times that you are just praying to God out loud to yourself. It's seriously the cutest and sweetest thing ever! Daddy and I say that you're going to grow up and be our preacher. It's amazing how you are so in touch with the Holy Spirit at such a young age. Jesus says to come to him with "the faith of a child," and even though you are little, you are brightly and boldly shining Jesus's light to everyone around you! 

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Rush's favorite things:

-Hulk

-You Tube (Ryan's Toy Review)

-"mote control" cars

-playing animals and toys in the playroom

-dinosaurs

-Dinky the Dinosaur book

-bigfoot and abominable snowman

-any dress up costume

-"booby"

-"lemomade" & rootbeer

-Chick-fil-A

-Lion Guard

-wrestling or "battling"

-brushing you teeth

-"Bron" James

-"cool clothes" (Nike and Under Armour)

-friends: Cece, Korbyn, Collins, Ella

-your "brothers" Rowan, Know, and Baby Vaughn

-playing with Russell

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"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."

1 Timothy 4:12

I love you a bushel and a peck,

Mommy

Letter to My Birthday Baby Boy: 3 Years Old

Rushy Poo Poo, 

I should have finished this birthday letter a year ago, but a busy schedule and getting settled in to our new house made for a crazy 2017! I want to think back and remember all of the things about you being THREE. You stopped nursing just a couple of days before your birthday, and honestly, weaning you was one of the most difficult things that I've ever had to do. I loved cuddling up with you and watching you nurse yourself to sleep every night. I love how you would give me goodnight kisses and tuck your little head into my neck. You are my sweet little joy and I wish that time would stand still!

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You absolutely love watching Blaze and the Monster Machines, and you are obsessed with all things monster truck!! We had a Blaze birthday party for you and you could not have been more excited. You love "mote" control anything, and "really cool, fast cars." You have the cutest little, ornery grin (just like your daddy), and everyone loves you! You have a magnetic personality, and you are my little social butterfly! 

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You are definitely all boy, and you love to get dirty. You like hanging out at the ballfields while your bubba plays ball, and you love anything that includes dirt, mud, or being outside! You love dressing up in costumes (just like your brother did), and you've always loved cool shoes and comfy clothes. I love your long, blonde curls and I just can't bring myself to get you a big boy haircut yet! You are my heart and soul, and you will always be my baby! Rushton Jeb, you are the cherry on top and you have completed our family!

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"Mightier than the waves of the sea is His love for you."

Psalm 93:4

Love you BIG,

Mommy

Letter to My Birthday Girl: 7 Years Old

LilliAnn McKenzie,

I am SUPER late posting this birthday letter, but I couldn't move on to your next birthday without writing you a little something while you were still 7. You adore all things girly, especially make-up and beauty products, so you were extremely excited for your "spa" birthday party this year! You've really come into your own this year, and your confidence and independence make me so proud! You recently started competition dance and you are absolutely LOVING it! I love watching you on the big stage. Miss Darana calls you a "gamer" because you always turn it on when it counts! You have quite the little group of friends, and I love that you are kind and an "includer."

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You are an exceptional student! You do great in school...in fact, you were the first one in your first grade class to make Masters' Club! You love a challenge, and are definitely a "go-getter." That's the McKenzie girl in you! I love watching you grow and come into your own personality. Although it's bittersweet seeing you get big, my heart swells with every new accomplishment and feat!

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I hope you always love twirly dresses, pink lipstick, and sparkly gold shoes! Sweet girl, you rock my world! 

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"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."

1 Peter 3:3-4

My love always,

Mommy