This is Brit. He is my 6 year old...former youngest. His birthday was last Wednesday. In keeping with my plan to write to my kids, this one is for him.
Dear Brit,
You are an amazing little boy, my sweet Britters. You have an infinite ability to love, and you are perhaps the most stubborn strong willed child I have ever known. Well, except perhaps Chase, but you are a close second. You were born just at the time we got our first digital camera, so I have more pictures of you as a baby than I do of your older brother and sisters. You have these enormous beautiful blue eyes.
I don't remember many things about the time when you were a baby. You were born just as we began building our house in South Jordan. You spent the first many months of your life at Joni's house, or at my mother's house while we tried to build a house...instead of hiring a contractor like most normal people would have done. I hated leaving you, and for a while you were more bonded to Joni and Grandma than you were with me. Once we were in the house, I had to work night shift to be able to pay for the house and avoid daycare. It was miserable, and you were left to yourself a lot while I tried to get a little sleep. That is the reason you were able to re-decorate the house on several occasions using black sharpies or stamp pads. I even have a picture of you covered from head to toe in red and blue ink. Most of that time is a blur to me since I was a walking zombie...suffering from lack of sleep. In fact, if it were not for my friend Jasmine, you might not have been bathed...or fed. She was a God send to me at that time and was one of the main reasons I didn't go completely insane.
I do remember how much you loved to ham it up. You were so silly. You loved to watch movies and eat popcorn. You loved to be wrapped up in a blanket and held while Nemo was on. I loved to snuggle you and hold you. I needed that time with you, and you were always willing to give it. Like most of the kids, you were a terrible eater. If it wasn't breaded and served with french fries you refused to eat it. It has been a continuous battle with you to get you to try new things. As you get older, you are getting better. But it has been a long hard fight.
It took you a really long time to speak. Since I was unconscious most of your awake time, I failed to spend a lot of time with you reading books and learning words. When you were 3 I took you to have your ears checked, thinking that maybe your speech was delayed because you couldn't hear. When your hearing checked out fine, we started working with a speach pathologists. She pointed out to me that you had no association between words and objects...that I had failed to teach you English. Jasmine and I started working very hard to teach you word and the objects they went to. Once you learned those, you started talking and you haven't stopped since! You love to tell me about everything. Especially if it has anything to do with sponge bob, or mario.
You are such a smart little boy. Kindergarten was a tough change for you and I thought you were going to push your teacher over the edge. But what we found, once you settled in, was that you were well ahead of most of the kids in your class. You read wonderfully, you know all of your fundamentals, shapes, numbers including basic math. We are so proud of you. Your delayed speach didn't seem to hold you back, and you are excelling at school!
You are a delight to us Brit. John and I enjoy your enthusiasm for games and reading. Your giggle is infectious and it resonates through our home. It is fun to watch you with your best friend Tyler. You two have been planing your birthday party for months now and I am excited to have you do it. It will be your first real birthday party and I hope it is all that you envision it to be. Happy Birthday Sweet Britters! I am so glad you are in our family.
Love, Mommy
