Happy 5th Birthday, Ryan!

Dear Ryan,

Today you turn 5!  You are so excited to be 5 years old.  Before you went to bed last night you told Kendall, "tomorrow I get to be 5!".  She was pretty excited for her big brother.

You have become such a strong, smart and vibrant boy, Ryan.  It has been so much fun watching you grow over the last year.  You are such a social little guy.  You love to play with your friends.  And you ask everyday if you get to go to school.  You love that you get to go 4 days this year instead of just 3. 

You have a great imagination, and I've really loved watching it get stronger and stronger over the past year.  You create your own games and will entertain yourself for hours.  They usually involve your cars, or a ball.  All summer long you played baseball.  When you couldn't be outside playing, you would create your own game inside using the rug as your baseball diamond.  Now that baseball season is over you have started doing the same thing with football.  You're such a competitor (sometimes to a fault!). 

Playing "Blue 42"

Your an awesome big brother, too!  You adore Kendall and Natalie and are so sweet to them.  Sure you and Kendall have your squabbles, but you play so nice together, too.  The two of you love to chase each other through the house squealing away!  Natalie lights up every time she sees you and there is nothing she loves more than when you talk to her.  Her face just beams.  You have just started wanting to hold her more, and you even read her a book the other night.

You are such a sweet, caring little boy.  You're always looking out for your sisters, and your friends.  You're always concerned about how other people are feeling.  You love giving and getting hugs.  If you're having a rough day a hug usually makes it better.  Your turtles, Honu and Squirt usually help too!

You and your daddy are still thick as thieves.  You have been so patient this year in sharing his attention.  With a new baby sister around it's been hard for the two of you to play as much as you'd like and you've taken that all in stride.  I'm so proud of you!  When you do play there's lots of laughs and trash talking - like "you're going down Mr. Brown"!  The two of you are always coming up with crazy things to say and do!

I'm also so thankful you have an exceptional memory.  You are always reminding me of things I've forgotten.  I'm always shocked at some of the things you can remember.  If only I could have an inkling of that!  It's really hard for me to believe that you are already 5 years old. 

I'm so proud of you, Ryan.  You are such a special little boy.

I love you!.

-Mommy