5 Things for Cbug- the video and the letter

I started the 5 things in DRRF for Cbug's Birthday celebration with the party and the interview.  Here are numbers 3 and 4- the video and the birthday letter.

3) The video
Pictures from his first 5 years.  When we made the similar video for KJ's 5th bday, I cried everytime I listened to the song, watched the video, sorted through the pictures.  I'm still nostalgic with Cbug, but it is impossible to look at a complilation of his expressions and do anything but LAUGH.  I mean how many people have a picture of themselves at 4 and 30 pounds, swaddled like baby Jesus? Or a dinosaur hanging out of their mouth at meet the teacher night?  Oh, how the Lord knew I would need Cbug to keep me from taking life too seriously.  This song, from "Slugs and Bugs and Lullabies" (one of our very favorite kid CDs), is SO fitting for him.
"I'm just a kid with a head full of dreams and a dream full of things to get done..."

4) The Letter

Dearest Cbug-

I cannot believe you are 5.  In some ways your Daddy and I started treating you like you were 5 long before you were quite ready to be.  You do so much to try to keep up with KJ that we sometimes try to make you older than you really are.  Often you rise to that challenge, but sometimes when you snuggle up in my lap or grin that dimpled grin, I try to remind myself to just let you be little for a while longer. 

I love how you handle your role, as you find yourself almost evenly between KJ and Lou.  You can play with both of them so well.  Sometimes you like to do big things like build with Legos or make up adventures with KJ, but you are also so sweet to play the "Daddy" for Lou when she wants you to play house.  One of my favorite lines that you tell her is "I'll play house with you, Sister, but you have to call me 'Babe'"  because that's what you've heard me call your Daddy.  And many times when KJ is at school, you and Lou really do have a blast together.  Another favorite memory is the two of you sitting at the table for nearly an HOUR this fall while you shared an apple, giggling as you passed it back and forth for bites until it was gone.  Who knew an apple could be so much fun?!?!

Maybe that's a favorite memory because you rarely sit still.  You are pretty much all IN to whatever you are doing.  So you are only still if you are in a zone- building Legos, playing trains, or reading books.  But most of what you do with your older brother involves being very much NOT still- playing Nerf wars or playing rough  and wrestling.  The two of you have some kind of magnet that requires you to be pushing, shoving, or wrestling AT.ALL.TIMES.  This year we invented "hand tag" which is a game you can actually hit each other on the hands, but you have to sit still to play.  I love that you two have so much fun together and I'm constantly praying for ways to encourage you to grow-up with that same spirit of fun...without killing each other.

I love how you love to make Little bear laugh.  You say his name with about 20 syllables and he thinks it is hilarious.  You can bring him from full-on-tantrum to giggles faster than anyone else.  Thank you for that!  I also love that you like to teach him things.  He's going to be really privileged to have a big brother like you watching out for him.

You like for things to be scheduled and you like to know what is happening next.  You need to know what the date is, the time is and you like for things to move quickly from one thing to the next (in the appropriate order).  If we don't help guide you to the next thing, it is sometimes hard for you to make good choices about what to choose to do next.  Ms Tabitha has been a great teacher for you this year because she GETS that and has helped you a ton with how to fit your scheduled AND busy self into a classroom setting.  At home, we have to be ready for things like when you take your last bite of food, because you are ready to immediately move on to the next thing.  And we have to get creative about how we keep you occupied when we can't just move to the next thing.  Sometimes its working on sounding out words, as you LOVE these beginning stages of reading.  And another recent favorite for you has been word math problems.  This is just how your little mind works.  Its crazy to us how quickly you can think through "A Christmas tree farmer has 6 trees and cuts down 2" and how much you love doing it.  We hope you always LOVE learning...and we hope learning is always something you will CHOOSE when you need to occupy your time!

This year we are especially grateful to be celebrating another birthday with you.  You started the year a pretty sick little boy.  We had a scary couple of days with you in the hospital in March.  You LOVED the playroom there, but your Daddy and I are very thankful that we haven't had to repeat that trip.  You've been on different medications for the rest of the year and it has made a huge difference for your asthma.  We are so very thankful!

Cbug, there is no one quite like you.  You steal hearts regularly with your dimpled grin and life-loving-spirit. One of your favorite phrases is "I NEVER run out of hugs" Your love for those close to you runs super deep and you hate to see anyone hurting.  In fact, the hardest part for you, when you were in the hospital was hearing other kids crying.  You hated that.  And vice versa, you LOVE to make people laugh.  You crack us up ALL.THE.TIME and you know it, too.  Ha.  You told your daddy today "I just laugh myself up".  

And that's my prayer for you this year.  That you will continue to use your humor, your fierce love for those you encounter, your tender-heart, and the best dimpled grin I've ever seen to steal hearts for Jesus.  May you bring Him glory as you shine from deep down within yourself.  And may you grow up to know more about a Lord whose Love and Grace NEVER run out, just like your hugs.

We love you so much, Buddy!  And are always thankful for the way you help us just enjoy life.

Love,
Momma

And then one more 5th birthday post for you, buddy, coming soon- the Birthday DAY.