Mason - Year 6

*Date of publication SHOULD have been 2018 - Whoops!*

I can say it every year - where has the time gone?  I can actually say this now since it took me 8 months to finally get around to writing this and am actually posting it on your 7th birthday!  To say this past year was a busy one would be an understatement.  Forgive me as some of this will be a little dated - which should be a real kick in my pants to stay on top of this for the next birthday and all birthdays after that.

This year you turned six years old - you have mastered being a big brother (and became one again shortly after your 6th birthday in June to your little sister) and you finished kindergarten.  You lost your first tooth, and your second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh!!

You are crazy smart.  When I went to a teacher supply store to pick up some workbooks for you to do at home, I had to get some for 1st and 2nd graders because you were far beyond the kindergarten level.  I haven't had to help you study for your site words at school, because you already know all of them.  Your favorite subject is math though.  You have done math workbooks for fun for a while now and even completed a math homework assignment for school before it was even assigned.  I think that you will have your daddy's brain.

Maxwell is your best friend.  You are both his protector and tormentor. You guys love to wrestle and play together.  You have recently started sharing a room, and while that is a bit chaotic at bedtime, you guys love sharing the space together.

Your favorite color is still orange.  You say that your favorite animal is a giraffe - maybe because you got to feed one for the second time at the Santa Barbara Zoo this year.  Your favorite food is tortellini with pesto sauce even though whenever I make it you fail to eat any of the tomatoes.  You are a master Lego builder.  You can build Lego sets that should be years ahead of you and like to build them with Daddy.  You and I like to look at model homes together- it's something special just for you and me.  I took you once and now you're hooked!  You are kind, energetic, and helpful.  You love to make your brother laugh (and now your sister too).

We love you Mason.  We are proud of you and everything that you have accomplished thus far.

Mason - Year 4

Today you are 4 years old!  Where has the time gone, my sweet little boy?  This year has brought so many big changes for you and for our family, and you have handled it all like a champ.

First of all, we moved to California!  We have a new house with stairs that you love.  You get so excited when we drop things over the side of the banister- our glorified laundry chute.  You have a big room with your new bunk bed and tons of books.  We still read you at least two stories every night; one with Mommy and one with Daddy.  Sometimes you even read the books to us instead of the other way around.  Your favorite books are some of my favorites from when I was a kid.  You've read "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" so many times, that I had to hide it just to give us a break from reading it every... single... night.

You like going to school.  You have learned how to write your name and you write it everywhere.  You like maps and puzzles, you probably have a better grasp on geography than I do.  You've recently gotten into Legos and like to build the kits with Daddy.  He even brought home some of his old sets from when he was little and you guys play together with them all the time.

You like to help us around the house.  Whether that is helping put the clean dishes away, giving the cats food, or helping Daddy to build something.

This year, you also learned that you are going to be a big brother - any day now actually.  You are already a great big brother.  You like to talk to baby brother in my tummy and feel him kick.  You read him some of your books and you got upset that he wouldn't be here in time for your birthday.  You help me even more around the house now that I have a big pregnant belly in the way.  You come running to help me with the laundry and washing dishes.  You even help me get up from the couch!!

Your favorite time of day is still when Daddy comes home from work.  You run outside and stand on the giant rock in our neighbor's yard until Daddy turns the corner.  Then you run to open the door for him and tackle him inside the car.

You are becoming more and more independent every day.  In the last few weeks, you excuse me from the kitchen so that you can make your breakfast yourself.  You like us to help you less and less- getting dressed by yourself, brushing your own teeth, and making some of your own meals.

We look forward to seeing what this next year brings for you- how you change and what will stay the same.  We still constantly look at you and wonder when it was that you suddenly got so big!  We love you Mason!

Mason - Year 3

Mason - three months ago you turned three years old.  I am a little late getting your birthday journal done because these past few months have included selling the home we brought you home from the hospital to getting you a home in California closer to family.  You continue to grow in body and mind, it is truly astounding.  I still have moments where I look at you and think, "Wow, that is my son."  It's hard to even believe that not so long ago, you were in my tummy and now I can hardly wrangle the little boy that you have become!

You still have your mommy's looks; the blue eyes, the lighter hair.  We have the same crazy laugh and we often do it for no reason except to make each other smile.  You have your Daddy's brain.  You are brilliant and often outsmart us.  You use your wit to your advantage and it can sometimes get you into trouble.  You have most of your books on your shelf memorized - and there are about 50 of them.  No joke.  You are so smart, my little man.

You surprise us daily.  Either with your endless amounts of energy, or your ability to use a $20 word like 'insufferable' correctly.  We have no idea where you even heard that word.  You dance with so much enthusiasm that I couldn't replicate it if I wanted to.  We somehow need to learn how to take some of your energy, bottle it, sell it, and become millionaires - no one can keep up with you.

You like to sing.  You sing songs from school to yourself or even make up songs all on your own.  I have listened to you on your baby monitor singing while you lay in bed.  Sometimes you do it for more than 20 minutes.

You can eat like a full grown man.  It makes me afraid of what our grocery bill will look like when you actually are one.  Some mornings, you'll scarf down 8 mini muffins and 3 pancakes.  I have to assure people that you really do eat because you are so lean.  You still aren't a fan of meat but you love your carbs.  You eat the mushrooms out of your pasta first and would dump parmesan cheese on everything if we let you.  You drink orange juice like you haven't had fluids in weeks.

You like to help.  I assign you the 'table captain' every night so that you can set the table.  You are meticulous and things have to be done in the order that you want.  Every napkin has to be folded a certain way and no one is allowed to help you - those are your rules, not ours.  When I cook, you want to pour the ingredients.  When I do laundry, you want to add the detergent and clean the lint trap.  I hope that you always have a helpful heart.

You are affectionate.  If we leave the room, you'll come running after us because, "I just have to give you a hug!"  I take advantage of every opportunity that you want to cuddle, or hug, or give me a kiss.  I know that you'll one day be too old for all of that mushy stuff and it'll be a day that comes too soon.

Mason - I look at you with such joy, such love, that I can't even contain myself sometimes.  Mommy and Daddy love you.