A letter for my boys

Dear Roman, Judah, and Silas,

I should have been writing more over the last month and a half.  I should have been writing more about how crazy awesome you guys are and how much I love being your mama. 

Roman, I should have been writing about how much you love to draw.  Every day for your schoolwork you read a story and then you draw a picture and write your own story.  Over the last couple of weeks the drawings have gotten more and more detailed and it is so much fun to watch your little mind coming up with all of these wild images.  Yesterday the story in your book was about a dad grilling meat for his kids.  So your story started with a grill and then you drew a whole kitchen followed by other rooms in your house.  You drew yourself in (as an adult) and added all the things you wanted to have in your house when you grow up.  Including five guitars.  Somehow you also included you and Dad fighting dragons in the picture.  I'm not sure how your brain moved from grill to dragon, but it makes me smile thinking about it.  It's still hard to get you to want to write your own words to go with your pictures.  I can usually get you to write 2-3 sentences (and then you want to dictate and have me do all the "work" of penmanship) but your handwriting and spelling is really good for a five year old. 

This is another one of your masterpieces that I love. 

This is the conversation we had about it:

R:  "It's the pool!  This is Tony blasting me off!"

Me:  "Wow!  Awesome!  Tell me about what you drew here on your chest and on Uncle Tony's chest"

R:  "Well, these are my nipples, and this is my belly button".

Me:  "I see.  And what about this?"  (In regards to the squiggly line between nipples and belly button)

R:  "That's my hairy". 

Nice.

I should have been writing about all your funny dreams.  The other day you came into our room at 5:30 in the morning and said "Mom!  I had a dream I held a baby shark!"  You were so excited about it that I couldn't even be grumpy about the 5:30 part.

I should have been writing about the way you cried during a movie for the first time.  Homeward Bound.  The boy gets a puppy for Christmas and doesn't want it, so they leave him in a box on the side of the road in the rain.  You were so upset because "they should have loved him".  You made me promise that we would never leave Charlie on the side of the road.  I promise. 

I should have been writing about the way you wear a costume all the time.  I mean, even to Bible study and the grocery store.  Currently, your favorites are a Jedi or Captain America. 



You with your brothers on Halloween  (although this might as
well have been any day of the year because you wear costumes
every day.) 
Roman, a Jedi
Judah, Superman
Silas, a polar bear



I should have been writing about how you love to reenact movie scenes.  You love Night at the Museum and so you'll often dress as the cowboy, Jedidiah, and say "I'll shoot you in your dang eye!  In your daggum eye!"  I'm sure that sounds terrible, but it's just so funny how much you sound like him.

I should have been writing about how you love to accessorize with anything that makes you feel like a big kid.  Belts, watches, gloves, wallets, etc.  You hide them under your bed when you find them so the little boys won't mess with them.

I should have been writing about how you have lost two teeth now!  We have never found either of them.  I noticed one day during breakfast that you were missing one.  The second one you lost when we were in Virginia.  We went into the bathroom and you looked in the mirror and said "Hey, I lost another tooth!"   I'm not sure how one can have so little self awareness, but I'm glad that losing teeth hasn't been traumatizing.  You are always so excited to see what surprises the tooth fairy will leave you.

I should have been writing about how pumped you are for Christmas.  You wrote a letter to Santa the other day:

It says:

Dear Santa,

Will you give me a Christmas presents?  We are going to South Carolina.  Will you please come to our house late?  Roman

(You told me that by "late" you meant "late tonight".  You were very excited to see that Santa did bring you presents the next morning.)

Roman, your dad says the only word to describe you is "vibrant".  I would say that's about right.  Your enthusiasm for life is such a blessing to witness on a daily basis.  You make everything so much fun. 

Judah,

I should have been writing about what a lovebug you are!  You love hard.  Your big hugs can quickly turn to wrestling.  You will often come running into me for a hug and say "I love you so much".  Totally makes my day.

I should have been writing about the way you dive in to every project.  The picture on the left was when we decorated ice cream cones with green frosting to make them look like Christmas trees.  You never decorated a tree.  You made yourself a green Santa beard and ate frosting with a spoon.  Same deal when we paint.  You put some paint on a brush, run it across the paper a few times and then cover your arms and legs in paint.  You roll around in the dirt and do somersaults in the mud.  You enjoy every minute of life, no hesitations, and although you're constantly a mess, I love that about you. 

I should have been writing about how you ask me for "crazy hair" every day.  Meaning you want me to give you a fauxhawk.

I should have been writing about your obsession with clothes.  You change your outfit about 30 times a day.  Your current favorite is a swim suit.  It's 31 degrees outside. 



working on some Christmas crafts, in your swimsuit.

 I should have been writing about all the adorable things you say the wrong way. 

"cordurboy" instead of "corduroy"

"whatcher got there" anytime you're curious about what someone else is holding

"I'm so proud of you!" when you want me to say that to you.  :)

"meed" instead of "need".  My fave:  "Mommy, I meed to cuddle".

I should have been writing about how incredibly excited you are to go to South Carolina for Christmas.  The other day I said, "Judah, you need to put your shoes on so we can go to the store."
Your response?  "Wanna go to South Carolina".
Every I ask you to get your coat on to go to a playdate you say "I'm ready to go to South Carolina!"

You are starting to understand time but not enough to understand what you are actually saying.  So, when you want to see someone you'll say "Mary.  See her in two weeks". 

Judah, although you are able to speak, you are a man of few words.  It's so funny what you choose to say and when.  It's often totally unexpected which makes it even better.

I should have been writing about the way that you steal food from the cupboards and refrigerator every half hour but will not sit down to eat at meal times. 

I should have been writing about the way that you are a carbon copy of your daddy when he was your age.  I mean, absolutely identical.

I should have been writing about the way you love your dog.  You call him what you hear other people call him...so "Charlie pup", "char char" or "charlie babe".  You often hug him and say "So cute."

I should have been writing about the "snarly face" you have recently discovered. 

I should have been writing about your sweet dance moves.  They are really something.  As with everything in life, you have zero inhibitions, so you just let loose with your entire body.  So.so.funny. 

Judah, your dad says the only word to describe you is "terrorist".  And we do mean that in the most endearing way possible.  You are so, so charming.  But it is a bit deceiving because no one expects your wild side.  You keep us on our toes and we will have SO many hilariously embarrassing stories to tell your friends when you're a teenager.  Judah, you bring us so much joy and laughter.  Your smile is absolutely contagious.  We can't wait to see what God has planned for your life.

Silas,

My adorable baby boy...I should have been writing about how incredibly sweet you are.  You are quite the talker these days.  You consistently say 6 and 7 word sentences.  You have such a loving nature about you.  You are always the first to thank me for a snack or for reading a book.  Well, except that you say "sank you".  My other favorite things you say:

"t'mere" for "come here"

"wanna tuddle" for "want to cuddle"

"want some Jesus" when we're in the communion line at Mass

I should have been writing about how you say "stop kissing" every time you catch daddy and me...you want us to stop because you want us to give you a sandwich kiss.  You love the love.

I should have been writing about what a thinker you are.  When you are in a new situation you like to take a few minutes to soak it all in.  You stand on the "sidelines" and just observe.  You watch what your brothers do and you slowly start to explore.  You aren't usually scared, just quietly thinking.

You copy whatever other people say, so when you hand something to one of your brothers you often say "here ya go, baby".  Makes me laugh every time.

I should have been writing about your wide variety of voices.  You use a very high pitched voice when you want to be charming.  And then sometimes you use this very growly voice when you want to sound tough.  Like when you say "I'm a Jedi".  Although you used the growly voice to say "Merry Christmas to everyone we passed at the grocery store yesterday.  I'm sure that wasn't at all disturbing to the sweet old ladies.

You also come up with a lot of your own ideas.  Your dad and I always talk about how impressive it is that you have considered something in your head and know what you want.  For example, you'll say "Grandma?  Wanna go see her.  Wanna play with".  Or you'll pick up some keys and you'll say "Get in the van.  Wanna go store". 

I should have been writing about how you love to read.  Current favorites:  Green Eggs and Ham, Baby Mickey's Nap, Harold and the Purple Crayon.  You like to have Roman read to you, too, which is really fun for me to watch. 

You always tell me when you think something was or will be fun.  I.e.  "Go see friends.  That would be so fun".  or when we get in the van after playing you tell me "that was so fun".

I should have been writing about how great you are at singing.  Current fave:  "How Great Thou Art".  And when I ask you to sing it, you say "No, you sing it!"

Silas, your dad says the only word to describe you is "rascal".  You are sweet but silly; wild but cuddly.  You are always making funny faces or grabbing someone around the legs for a hug.  We simply adore you.  You are so precious to us. 

I love you boys so much.  Don't forget.

Mom