Letter to My Birthday Girl: 10 Years Old

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My precious, darling Lil,

I can’t believe you’re really 10 years old! And oh, what a joy it has been to be your mom for the past ten years. I call you my dream girl because that’s exactly what you are...a dream come true. Not only are you beautiful on the outside, but you truly do have a heart of gold. You love to serve others, and you’re always making crafts or gifts for other people, buying presents for your friends or family, or thinking of ways to make someone feel special. You’re an over-achiever and you excel at everything you do. I never have to worry about your getting your homework done or have to help you much with your school projects because you always take care of business! You make straight As and are in the gifted and talented program. You adore writing, and are always leaving little notes for me around the house or writing in a notebook or journal. I hope you always a have a love for writing...your great-grandmother McKenzie loved to write and journal and you remind me so much of her. 

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Papa Kelbo gave me this pink ice ring on my 10th birthday and I passed it on to you on your 10th birthday. I knew it would be something special that you could pass down to your little girl one day. 

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We had to celebrate your birthday in quarantine since the coronavirus pandemic started around March. All of the restaurants were closed, and we had been staying out at the lake so we had a little family birthday party for you out there. I cooked your favorite meal - steak, double baked potatoes, and bacon wrapped brown sugar green beans, and Aunt Glenda made you the sweetest and most adorable number 10 cake and some chocolate covered cream stuffed strawberries! Uncle Kass came and ate dinner with us, and Aunt Lacee, Jett, and Josslynn brought you a DIY “planting” pot with gardening tools and a few flowers. It was a special day, and even though we didn’t have a big party, it was really neat to get to spend special time together as a family. 

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You are a girly girl, and your activities currently include dance, tumbling, and piano, with dance being your favorite activity by far! You did your very first solo this year - a jazz dance to “Fierce” - and of course, you did absolutely amazing! You even got the judges choice “Technique Award” at one of the competitions. You work really hard at dance, and it makes me so happy to watch you do something that you love so much! 

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You’ve been a big sister for a few months, and you’re the best big sister Liv could ever have. You are a natural caretaker and you’ve been so good with her. You change her diaper, play with her, tote her around the house, and keep her busy while I sleep in or while I’m cooking or cleaning. I can always count on you to help me pick out her outfits or pack the diaper bag! You two have the sweetest bond, and I know that you’ll always be the best of friends. I’m so thankful that you have each other. 

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LilliAnn loves:

-dance

-her iPhone

-writing

-doing crafts

-Starbucks

-her hydro flask

-shopping

-scrunchies 

-manis and pedis

-driving the golf cart

-hanging out with her Nana Karen

-Hobby Lobby

-Target

-bagels with cream cheese

-honey

-smoothies 

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LilliAnn, you truly are everything I ever wanted and everything I never knew I wanted in a daughter. You’re kind, determined, competent, responsible, intelligent, capable, talented, creative, and compassionate. You have a heart for the Lord, and the way you love others shines his light so big. I pray that you always look up with your face towards Jesus, because in this crazy life, he is only the way. He is faithful, he is your refuge, and he will always give you strength. I love everything about you, and I am so thankful for your life! 

This is the verse I am choosing for you as you begin your next decade. 

“Therefore, my fellow believers, whom I love and long for, my delight and crown [my wreath of victory], in this way STAND FIRM in the Lord, my beloved.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:1‬

I love you always and forever,

Mom 

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Letter to My Birthday Girl: 9 Years Old

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Sweet Lil, 

I’m behind on these letters, so I’m leaving you these 9 year old pictures so I can start working on your 10 year old letter. 

You are my dream girl. 

Love, Mom

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You love SnapChat filters!

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This is our thing...we try to take a cute pic together at National Parks!

Letter to My Birthday Baby Boy: 5 Years Old

My sweet, precious Rushton Jeb Walter Rollins, 

How are you already FIVE?! I feel like you should still be my little squishy baby with the wrinkly forehead and chubby cheeks. I still remember the way your soft, fuzzy hair felt and how you would look up at me as you nursed. I remember how you smelled and the way you would snuggle up close under my chin. I have enjoyed, savored, cherished, and loved every single thing about the past five years of having you as my baby. You are everything that I {literally} dreamed of, and I'm so thankful that God knew that I needed you. 

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You're extremely social and you light up a room! Just like your daddy, you're very friendly and likable...and you make an impression with everyone you meet! Your brother and sister ADORE you, and we all treat you like the true baby of the family. You still sleep in mommy and daddy's bed...right in the middle of us...and I'm not going to lie, I have absolutely loved having you next to me every night as my snuggle buddy. You sleep right under my arm, just like when you were a tiny baby. And even though your daddy thinks it's super weird, you still hold my "booby" to go to sleep every night. You nursed until you were three, so you're used to snuggling up close to me and falling asleep. You told me a couple of days ago that you were going to still be my baby until you were "twenty." And that's just fine with me! 

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You started a two day a week preschool program this year called "Under the Son," and you absolutely love it! You're so smart, and can already: count to 100, count backwards, read over ten sight words, write your name, add and subtract...and your vocabulary is AMAZING for your age. We all can't believe some of the words you know and use in context. You show a special interest in numbers, counting, and adding - which is a trait that you come by naturally from your Papa Kelbo! And, you're left-handed like your mama...which, of course, I LOVE!

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You're all boy...just like all of the Rollins boys. You're rough and tough, and LOVE to tackle and wrestle. We tried wrestling this year, but there wasn't really anyone your same size, so daddy says that we're going to try again next year. You're super tough, and rarely cry when you get hurt. You love playing outside, getting dirty, exploring, fishing, and riding your bike. You've been riding your bike without training wheels since a couple of days before you turned three, and it amazes all of us at how well you can ride it! Papa Kelbo bought you a little Cannondale this year, and you love riding it around the neighborhood. You say that it has "off road tires" and that you can ride it anywhere. Daddy wants to make you some bike trails through the woods behind our house, so you can ride back there. You also got a new Yamaha dirt bike (and all the gear!) a few months ago and you love riding that at Nana and Papa's house. You immediately knew how to ride it, and took off like a pro! 

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You're definitely the life of the party at our house and you are always entertaining us all! You're gotten a little "too big for your britches" attitude the past couple of months, but hopefully that's just a little phase that you're going through. We love hearing your songs, dances, and listening to your band, "No Diggity." Your laugh is so funny and contagious, and we all love our "baby Rushy Poo!"

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Music is probably your very favorite thing, and you love to sing...especially rap! You make up your own rap songs and they are actually pretty good! You know the words to most songs that come on the radio, and you love all genres of music from Christian, to country, to R & B. I definitely think that music is going to be your thing. You asked for a drug set and an electric "bitar" for Christmas, and you recently asked me to start teaching you to play the piano. I'm going to officially start you in lessons next year like your brother and sister. 

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And although you don't seem to be as intense or competitive as your older brother, you're definitely athletic and love sports like he does. You rocked at snow skiing this year, and came down the big mountain like a champ! You kept making YouTube videos and wanted to tell your "subscribers" to "smash that like button" if they liked your skiing skills! It was so cute and so funny!

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You love Jesus with all of your heart, and show a special interest for learning Bible stories and remembering all about the characters of the Bible. I love when you come home from school and tell me about the Bible story you learned about that day. You can remember so many details about the story, and you really soak up the lesson like a sponge. One time during our family Bible study you asked why you couldn't get baptized yet. You truly have a heart for the Lord, and I pray that you continue to seek Him and grow deeper in his Word. You pray after every single one of our family Bible studies without fail, and it's been very special to see how you have grown and matured in your prayer life at such a young age. When we took this picture at The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis, you said, "Take a picture of me here. But you know, that's not the real Jesus." 

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You played your first season of basketball this year, and you are quite the baller! Daddy was so proud of how well you could dribble for your age. You're about to start t-ball for the first time next month, and you're super excited! I can't wait to see what my little south paw can do on the baseball field! 

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Rush loves:

-watching YouTube (especially Ryan's Toy Review - "Ryan's Toys from you")

-late night snacking with mommy

-any kind of music

-playing instruments

-going to your "church class"

-singing

-super heroes; specifically Black Panther

-pickles from McAlisters

-cheeseburgers

-riding your dirt bike at Papa Kelbo's 

-doing our family Bible study and praying

-"cool clothes"

-"Bron" James

-orange sherbert 

-playing with your animals in the playroom

-"Scratcher" the real alligator head we got in Louisiana

-"Niner" the mountain lion stuffed animal from the Grand Canyon

-playing with Russell

-riding your bike

-Chick-Fil-A

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This is the verse I picked to pray over you for this year:

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:16

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I've always heard people say, "There's just something about the baby," and man, I know just how true this statement really is. I love you so much, and you have definitely completed by world. You are the cherry on top of our family, and the missing piece to my heart. I love how we do "snuggy wuggy" and have a secret handshake. I love how you like to work out with me, and how you always with to sit by me. I love that you grab my face with your little hands when you're telling me something, and I love how you are constantly telling me that you love me. Just tonight while we were watching American Idol, you looked at me and said, "You're the best." But you know what Rushton Jeb? I think you're the best. And I thank God every day that I get to be your mommy. 

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You're so precious to me, sweet as can be, baby of mine.

Mommy