To Noah on his fifth birthday

Dear Noah Benjamin,

Every year on your birthday, since you were 2, I have written a note to you or about you. Today I went back and read them.

When you were turning two, I wrote this,

When you were turning three, I wrote this,

And then last year, on your fourth birthday, this.



A couple of observations: First of all, your mommy may seem a little bit obsessed with the time of day that you were born.

Well, that's because... I am. The end.

Next observation: Every time I have written to you I have commented on your sweet nature,

your compliance,

your easy going tendencies.

Well my little Noe B, you have shown us a few new developments in these areas this year...

Sweet? Yes, always a little bit of a quieter and compassionate nature woven into who you were created to be.

But...compliant? Well, it seems alot of that has been slowly ebbing away as the months of age four have passed.

I know alot of this is very, very normal. :) And yes, expected. Another sign that my "little" Noe is growing up.

You are figuring out who you are.

You are learning so much about your world.

And, well - you are testing mommy and daddy with that level stare and a much more stubborn approach to things than we have ever seen. It has certainly taken some getting used to...

This year you have started preschool.

Leaving home, and mommy, and all things familiar for 2 1/2 hours, three days each week.

You love to learn.

You love it in a way that makes me so very interested to watch you become everything you were meant to be. You are still so kind. Very lovable. So easy for teachers to be drawn to you.

I can see that you are becoming the "good boy" in a crowd. There's much good about that, and then the drawbacks, like judging and tattling. We are teaching you and trying to train you  - show you that we so love your desire to do good, but that you don't need to be so concerned about what may seem like bad in others. Alot of balance there. Alot of fine lines. Alot of shaded areas in a very black and white, very literal child.

Dear one, there are many, many things that I could write about you as you begin your year of being five. But I just want to focus on your heart - and commend you for the softness that I see there. You bring alot of joy. Although sharing is hard and the good in you + the selfish human nature in you will always be at war, I see a desire to give. Choosing and initiating to give your brother half of your cookie, or bring gifts to your friends is something we certainly want to nurture.

That good we see in you? - That is Jesus. He is working in your heart. He lives in your heart, and for that we are truly thankful.

A purple bear with pink, turquoise, and purple peace signs and hearts? Yes please! He said. ;) And mama only tried to convince hime once to choose the sweet little cream colored bear that he had in his hand first...
 

We celebrated you, and our five years with you, in some fun ways! Tacos, cupcakes, a cardboard crown, a little road trip to build-a-bear, grandma's treat.  Unfortunately in the midst of our celebrating you spiked a fever and came down with a sore throat and cough. That was a bummer. But you still smiled and tried to enjoy as much as you could.

*Swoon*

The whole family enjoyed your day.

First we made your cupcakes. "With stars on them, because a star showed the shepherds where baby Jesus was."  -Per your request. And sweet boy, I would be remiss if I did not record the funniest little story that goes along with that...

I try to be careful not to merge your birthday with Christmas. Yes, you were born 3 days before Christmas, but I want to celebrate you and let you know how special and unique your day is, before we go into the Christmas celebrations. Well, you truly seem to not care. :) You love Christmas, you love your birthday, so what could be better than a mixture of the two??

For the day that you brought treats to preschool for your birthday you chose brownie bites with strawberry santa hats. Pretty Christmasy.


And then for your birthday, the cupcakes with stars. But this is the funny story that I have been getting to: When you requested the star decorations, because the star showed the shepherds where baby Jesus was, you said it was because "this year my birthday is so close to Christmas" and then added, "If my birthday isn't quite this close to Christmas next year, I will have something different, like maybe Noah's ark, on my cake.

Ahh, the sweet innocence of a newly turned 5 year old...

And that is how I would describe you; innocent. For all of the new stubbornness and testing that you may be exercising, it is all tinged in an innocence that makes us smile. I know it will evolve and change as you grow, but something tells me we may always see a glimmer of this. It is who you are, and we sure love you Noe!

Mommy