Emma turns 8

My dear Emma,

Your birthday is always a tender time for me. I remember the circumstances of your birth so clearly - our young family working through tough times, my determination to make your birth a better experience than Will's, the wonderful fulfillment of that wish, the overwhelming feelings I felt afterward. I was in awe of my own capabilities and the miracle of life; in awe of you, my first, perfect, baby girl. I carried these feelings throughout the Christmas season, reflecting on Mary in particular and her sacred mission to bear and rear the Son of God.

Eight years later, I feel these feelings more than ever. My perfect baby girl turned into a T1D warrior.
Last December we realized what was happening in your body, learned what it meant for your future. You submitted to poke after poke after poke. You checked your own blood sugar 5 times a day. You learned to use your carb ratio and correction charts. You got up in the night with low blood sugar and took care of it by yourself. You got a Dexcom and begged for a pump. You started talking about the resurrection as the day when you'll be cured.

We've walked this road together, sharing some incredibly difficult days and nights. This trial has made you even more sensitive to others than you were before. You are considerate, caring, bright, responsible, and creative. Your thoughtfulness, gratitude and fortitude have been a huge strength to me over this last year. We're learning and growing and getting better together.
I am again, always, in awe of you and grateful for you in my life.

Love,
Mom

Will is nine!

My Will,

You are nine! Not so little anymore. You've started playing baseball this year and loved it. We loved watching you play. You had a great 3rd grade teacher and made the best friend you've ever had - Jude. It's been a good time of life. You're old enough to go play on your own, having late nights and riding bikes through the neighborhood. Any time we talk about the eventuality of us moving, you've been very vocally opposed. You don't want to leave your friends or your wonderful school, ever.

You carry the weight of being the oldest, I know. We've had a lot of change this year with Dad working three jobs and taking classes, Mom teaching from home, Emma being diagnosed and learning to live with Type 1 Diabetes. I've relied on you to help a lot - especially at meal times - and you have done so (mostly) cheerfully. You want to help dose Emma, but I don't see her letting you do that anytime soon. 😉

Right now you love baseball, swimming, friends, and drawing your own comic strips. You also love staying up late at night and will offer to do anything! if I'll let you. You'd spend most of your time playing Minecraft, Clash of Clans, or any other video game if you could. But you can't.

More than anything else, you love making people laugh. You've discovered a talent for this in your classes. It's becoming a challenge to keep this special talent from becoming a burden to your teachers. We hope to channel/direct it in the best ways we can.

We love you and have loved watching you grow! Halfway to 18, my boy!

Love, Mom

George turns THREE

My dear George,

I can't believe my baby is three. It's been three years since you arrived so unexpectedly to our family. You are officially a "big boy" now, with a big boy bed and sleeping in your underwear.

You like to sleep anywhere but your own bed. You choose where to take naps, so sometimes it's under Emma's bed, sometimes it's in Lexi's bottom bunk with a fort built around you, sometimes it's in Will's or Emma's bed. I'll let you nap anywhere - as long as you sleep!

You are the light of our family. You make us laugh, you're everyone's favorite. We cheer when you wake up, hold you when you cry. Will and Emma are especially protective of and helpful to you. They rush you to the bathroom whenever you need. They help you find jackets, socks and shoes when you want to join them outside. They read to you and play with you and love you so much. You are lucky!

You've become quite a chatterbox (like each of your siblings did at this age). You have so much to say and talk about. I love hearing what is going on in your little head. You ask the WHY questions and "WHEN will we go to grandma's house?" questions, not really understanding the answers. It is endlessly entertaining.

You love Paw Patrol and any show the other kids are watching. You also love Thor with a mighty passion. You get scared of animated villains but not the live-action superhero bad guys?! You like to direct photos of yourself whenever the camera comes out. "Mom, take a picture of me doing this. And this. And this. And this. Now can I see them?"

You love snuggles, back scratches from mom, and tickle-kisses. We are so blessed to have you. Love you so much.
Mom

Lex is 5!

Dear Lex,

You are five years old! You are dying to go to school (and you've been ready for it for ages). You are reading some, writing a little, and you are my little social butterfly. You want to be playing with friends every second of the day.
You are very loving and affectionate. You want kisses and hugs multiple times a day; you sit on the laps of your primary teachers anytime they will let you; you'd sit on MY lap all day if I let you! (I don't.)
If I picture you in my mind, I see you galloping everywhere you go, bossing everyone around. You like to tell people what to do - so when you play with other younger or more pliant children, you get along wonderfully. When other kids don't do what you want them to, then we have problems that result in yelling and screaming and crying from all parties involved. It's exhausting for me.
You're SO smart, as every teacher of yours has exclaimed to me. You finish sentences for your primary teachers, expound on stories in class. You have so much to say and do!
You're brave and tough and your pain tolerance is higher than any of your siblings'. You've had a hard time watching Emma get so much attention for her Type 1 Diabetes that it's become something of an obsession. You talk about Type 1 Diabetes ALL THE TIME. We've told you to stop (it seems morbid) but I imagine this is a fixture of our lives that isn't going anywhere.
I'm excited for you to start school this fall! I think it will be everything you ever dreamed  it would be. But I'll miss you when you go.
Love you so much,
Mom