On your birthday 2006

May 22, 2006

Dear Joseph,

Happy Birthday, Big Guy! You are five years old today. What an amazing birthday you had this year. You had a party at Chuck E. Cheese's with your school friends. And you went to the circus today with Grandma Nancy, Aunt Danielle, and Cassie. You got to ride on an elephant. When you came home, you said, "I want to join the circus and be a tight rope walker. But I won't ever fall off."

Why do I love you so much, Joseph? Because you are a complete original. You love the Hoperoo we gave you for your birthday tonight. You bounced and bounced and fell all over the house. I wanted to touch you to watch you bounce. You said, "You can watch but don't help me. I can do it myself." You still fall some imes but get right back on and bounce again. And right this minute as I write this letter, you are asleep in your new big boy bed with the Hoperoo in your arms.

You have come a long way in a year, Joseph. This year you went to school for the first time. You attend Afternoon Head Start pre-k at Barnhart Elementary School. At first, you were very shy and didn't talk to anyone. Then you met Lexi, your best friend, and slowly began to blossom into a wonderful and social boy. I have seen you initiate interaction with other kids, something you couldn't do a year ago.

You love going to school and have many friends -- Lexi, Michael, Milton, Vincent, Lauren... You are in the Monkey group in class, but you don't like it when we tease you about being a monkey. Mrs. Riddle says you are a very bright boy. You learned letters and numbers so fast. Mrs. Copp loves you because you are the only one in the class who understands her jokes.

I am so proud of how well you are doing with sign language. You know all the letters and numbers and a whole bunch of signs. We communicate much better now. When you are stuck, you sign the beginning letter of the word. I think you are eager to fingerspell the way Daddy does. You are now able to tell me stories about what you did at school, and what you want to do. Most of the time you say, "I want to go to playground."  And we do go to the playground.

You are still a gentle and loving boy. You still love babies. Right now you are into Frankie the Build-a-Bear and many Build-a-Bear Babies you got from McDonalds. You love seeing baby animals.

Your favorite food is bacon. You eat bacon and waffles, bacon and eggs, bacon and sausage pizza. I have never seen a child eat so much bacon before. Every night before bed you eat half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich while Daddy reads you Zoo Book Magazines. Then you brush your teeth, and I read braille books to you while we lay down on Giant Dog. I enjoy our night time ritual.

I could go on and on, but I have a full year's worth of Joseph Journals. Tonight I want to tell you that you are the best thing in my life. I love being with you. I love being your mommy. And I love watching you grow up.

Have fun being five, Joseph.

I love you.

Mommy