Ben's 9th Birthday Letter

Dear Ben,

How time flies when you are having fun! And you know how to have fun!
You are always ready with a newly invented game, joke, contest or activity. You keep everyone entertained and on their toes.

You love to create! I remember when you were only 2 and 3 years old and we had your "craft bin" in your room. We would put you to bed at 7:30 and listen to you draw, colour, paint, cut and paste your nights work. You would chat to yourself the entire time. I wish I had recorded those moments outside of my memory! I couldn't think of a day, at that time, when you wouldn't be exactly as you were right in front of us. But it was a blink.

Now you are becoming a young man. Only one year away from double digits. You hang on the cusp of childhood with a brimming maturity.

Your personality is evident of the kind of person you will always be I believe. The inherent parts of you that have been unchanging. You are kind, sensitive, determined and creative. You are thoughtful, optimistic, enjoy a good laugh and competitive. You like to do well and will work for the results you want. You like to know the rules and have difficulty accepting exceptions or unfairness.

I enjoy your company. You are someone who I am glad to have in my life, not only as my son but simply as someone who makes my life happier and whose energy I enjoy being close to. You are without a doubt one of my most favorite people. I hope we will always be as close as we are now. At 9 years old you tell me everything. Every thought and feeling and encounter you have. Every problem, success and interesting fact. Sometimes I am fascinated, sometimes I pretend to be;) I hope you always feel like you can tell me anything.

I hope that you give childhood one big go this year as it comes to an end.  I am going to let you play too many video games, eat ice cream for breakfast, savor every cuddle and snuggle, read an extra bed time story to you, even though you could read it faster yourself. I will appreciate when you tuck your hand in mine and ask for a back scratch. These years, with you, have been the best ones of my life.
I love being your mother.

Happy birthday my darling boy!

Mommy xo

August 2016

 August was a FULL month. We had lots planned and everything went perfectly!

 We made it to Nova Scotia! 22 hours in the van and these kids were awesome!!

 Matty's happy to be here!

 Visiting with the Aunties

Great Grammie June helping Ben with his drift wood fort

 Delicious dinner at Aunt Eileens house.

Ben discovered the hard way that he gets car sick!

 This photo makes me think of Jacob at his truest self. He was dancing in that ocean as though there was nothing else in the world. This was one of our favourite memories of the trip. We found this incredible beach outside of Lunenburg and we were among only a handful of other people.

No one else in site!

Dear Elizabeth- Your Fourth Bithday Letter... ( I forgot to post in June!)

Dear Elizabeth.

Today you are 4 years old.

I remember the fear and difficulty that surrounded us when you were born. Your dad was so sick that he went right from the room you were born in to the oncology unit on the other side of the hospital. But first he got to smother his brandnew little daughter in kisses.

He wouldn’t hold you again for 3 more days. During that time you and I were on our own for the most part while one gramma took care of your Daddy and the other Grammie took care of your brothers and I took care of you. We had a lot of time to think over those few days when it was just the girls.

I remember wondering what kind of girl you would be…what kind of a life you would have…would any of this affect you?

I have the answers to those questions now. The ones that seemed so very important then.

What kind of girl are you?

You are a girl with  mind of her own. You would be the type of person to march into a family going through hell…turn it upside down and yank us in a different direction. You were a girl with a purpose…right from the start. You are feisty and head strong and determined. You are  smart and you are also soft, and sweet and sensitive. You are a nurturer and you fiercely love your family. Your brothers mean everything to you. You have a uniquely special relationship with each of them and you call Matthew “my little sweetie”.

What kind of life would you have?

The life you would have would be full of love. You would have parents who learned not to take a moment for granted. They would help you seize any and every opportunity. They would give you a love of learning and encourage you to experience all that you can. You would have a life where you are free to be who you are and where you are loved unconditionally. You have a beautiful life.

Would your early experiences affect you?

I would tell that new mother of a daughter who worried so much about so many things when you were born that you would be affected.. you would spoiled with attention and love from doting brothers and a Daddy who needed you then more than ever. You were a baby who new her purpose. And you did it well. You lit up a room, you changed the energy, you gave us hope in the face of fear. You were affected by this I am sure, in all the right ways.

I love having a daughter. I love the bond we have and how we know what one another is thinking and you are so intuitive you will slip your hand in mine and whisper “do you know I love you Mommy?” just when I really need to hear it. I love your outfits and doing your hair. I love tucking you in and reading you princess and pinkalicious books. I love how much you love dancing and singing and what a good little Mommy you are to your babies. You tell people “do you know I am a busy Mommy?” You have 4 main babies that you dote on. With their little clothes hung in your closet and their bed next to yours where you tuck them in each night.

You are such a joy. We are so very blessed to know you, to raise you and to call you ours.

We love you so much Elizabeth Annabella-Joy (to which you would say “call me ELLA!”) Happy birthday darling girl!!

Love Mommy xoxo