Happy Birthday, William! {belated}

November 29, 2011

Dear William,

Happy Birthday!  You are four years old today!  I look at your tallness and your grown-up smile, and I can’t believe it’s already been four years since I became your mother.  You are so unique and smart, and I love your goofy silliness that’s emerging as you get older.   You know how to dress yourself almost without help, and you’re even helping Ben, too.

You love stories.  You aren’t content to sit and look at pictures in a book - you want to hear the story.  You’re already learning how to notice what letters make words, and to sound out words one letter at a time.  Pretty soon you’ll be reading stories on your own!  And you love watching stories on TV - your favorite shows are Little Einsteins, Special Agent Oso and Mickey Mouse.  Maybe someday you’ll write stories of your own, too!

You love Lightning McQueen and Thomas the Tank Engine.  Your days are divided between "playing race cars" and "playing trains"...  You were thrilled when we found life-size models of Lightning McQueen and Mater in the big city nearby!  

You also love to paint pictures, especially making a special separate spot of each possible color so you can see each one clearly.  You’re starting to draw pictures of actual things, too; the other day you drew a complicated factory/machine, and spent half an hour telling me what each different colored part does.   

You love music, especially dancing to “Uncle Clayton’s music” (indy rock!).  You get your Elvis groove out and wiggle your hips and all of a sudden, my cautious boy turns into a rock star!  I can’t wait to see where your zany streak takes you.  

You’re really complimentary and encouraging, William.  I loved it when I came out of my room yesterday wearing a new sweater and you turned around and saw me, and said with a big sweet smile, “Aw, you look pretty, Mom!”  And then, as I thanked you and kissed you: “I like pretty girls!”  I think I blushed!

And you’re good at encouraging your brother Benjamin.  You are so kind to him, even though lots of times he messes up what you’re trying to do.  Most days you wake up first from your nap, and after about 5 minutes of playing by yourself, you’re asking me if you can go wake Ben up so you can play together.  The best parts of the day are when you find games you can both play together happily, and I hear you together making car noises or train noises.  You’re learning how to give and receive apologies, and you’re learning how to show the Fruit of the Spirit to Benjamin.  

You have a really good memory, William.  You memorized Psalm 23 when you were barely 3, and this summer you memorized Ephesians 6:11-18 and part of 1 Corinthians 13.  You’ve learned half of your ABC Bible Verses book, and you can even remember almost all of the references!  And you can already say half of the Christmas Story from doing our Advent Calendar this month.  I am so excited you are happy to hide God’s Word in your heart right now… you will stay rich as you get older and you will never regret it.  

You’re good at learning and practicing Russian words, too, and you enjoy having your local friends over to play with you - as long as they come one at a time!  You let me give a birthday party for the kids on our street, and you were so patient when they all came over and wanted to play with your toys.  Even though you’re just four, you understand that we need to show God’s love to everyone around us, and you like to share your toys and give things away to kids who don’t have very much.  I love your generous heart, William.  

Best of all you’re understanding more and more about who Jesus is and how you can know him.  I love seeing you in the mornings with your Jesus Storybook Bible, listening to stories about Jesus, looking at the pictures.  You’re still hesitant to talk to Jesus in your own words, but just tonight you forged out on your own at bedtime, praying for your friends far away in America.  It won’t be long before you figure out you can talk to Jesus just like you talk to me or Daddy.  

I love you so much, William! I am so proud of how you’re growing and learning, and how motivated you are to learn and grow yourself every day.  I’m so happy you love Jesus so much and are hiding His Word in your heart.  I feel so privileged that God picked me to be your Mommy and grow and learn with you as you grow up!

Love,

Mommy