J-Jane's Second Birthday Letter

Dear J-Jane:

You are a born leader and lover of life. You are one of the happiest toddlers I have ever met. 

I am often impressed with how big your smile is with all your little white teeth on full display. This smile emerges often while going down a slide, playing at the beach, bouncing on our couch, being chased around the house, or running toward one of us for a hug.

You are a phenomenal eater, who shovels food when you are really enjoying something—which is often. You eat lots and a wide variety.

We can already tell you will look out for your little brother, even if that comes out at times as putting him in his place now and again with a good shove. But you also have started to ask him if he is ok when he is crying, to check in with him, or share toys and food with him.

You often wander around the house singing "twinkle, twinkle", while grabbing everything that you can reach. This has resulted in us finding you in the living with an open jar of peanut butter, and all sorts of other things.  

You love to dance, clap, run, and read. You often will finish breakfast or dinner, and when put down, grab a book and climb onto the couch and look at it silently by yourself. Your words are amazing, with full sentences emerging regularly.

My prayer for you this year is that your infectious smile can be shared with more people as the world starts to open up more.

We are thankful for the time we have gotten to spend with you during your second year on earth.

Love,

Dada

Little J-man's second birthday letter

Dear Little J-man,

You joined our family at just a few pounds. You may still be on the smaller side, but your smile and personality command the room. You have charmed every doctor and nurse you have encountered during your many medical appointments over your short life. We have been very impressed with how well you have weathered all the poking and prodding, and speak up for yourself.

You love to snuggle on my shoulder, be carried around, read books, and play with trains. While you often watch your sister attempt something first, you are enthusiastic when you decide to try something, whether it be going down a slide, or standing on top of the coffee table and singing at the top of your lungs. One of my favorite things you do is run into a room when you hear music and start to flap your little arms dancing and twirling around. You give the best reassuring hand pats on our back or arm, often when we pick you up or snuggle into a hug.

It has been so fun to start to hear your words emerge. Your favorite word has to be puppy as you have treasured all of the opportunities we have had with friends that have dogs that let you lay on top of them in a full-body bear hug—which is a good illustration of how you love the people in your life as well.

Kathy is a favorite friend of yours, and you love when she arrives with Carolyn each week to play with you and your sister.

You have great curly hair that seems to endlessly have food in it at mealtimes. You are always up for wrestling, climbing in and out of boxes, and occasionally scaling the counter or table.

You and your sister have been dream sleepers, and we are very grateful. It may help that since you sleep in the same room we often hear the two of you deep in toddler conversation before falling asleep. 

My prayer for you this year is that your language grows enough so we can hear all of the thoughts you are thinking, and your voice continues to carve out a distinct place in this family.

We are thankful for the time we have gotten to spend with you during your second year on earth.

Love,

Daddy

 

The Easter Story

 

At our church adults are paired with children to form intergenerational friendships. 

Sophia became friends with our friend Audrey through this program. 

They have enjoyed attending plays together, making Christmas crafts, and reading to one another with hot chocolate. 

The day before Palm Sunday Audrey gave her these eggs.

After dinner on Sunday she asked if we would all sit down in the living room so that she could use them to tell us the Easter story.

When her younger siblings were in bed she shared it with me again with less audience participation.

Salem, MA

I never had a February school break growing up, but I've always loved the month because of my birthday.

Last year we stayed close and kept the trip short.

A few days in a house on Cape Cod was one of our favorite family trips and we looked forward to doing something similar this year.

We went north this time, and rented a house less than an hour from us for four nights.

We only brought fun foods, and everyone appreciated the change of scenery and pace.

We could see the light house and a ship from the bedroom windows, so the bedtime story our first night was about the Pirate ship they would be able to visit in the morning. The next night the bedtime story was about the mermaid that lived beneath the ship.

We enjoyed being tourists near where we had met and gone to college. 

Driving through the section of the city with the murals of the Punto Urban Art Museum was a great activity option given the ages of our kids and temperature outside.

Since we knew the area already, and our children are still so young, we didn't spend much time sight seeing.

The best part was getting to see some of our favorite people.

Penguin of the Week

Every child in Jason's Penguin preschool class gets a turn to be the "Penguin of the Week".

When you are five and have siblings both older and younger than you, you usually have to share the spotlight.

This week though he updated the train poster his Aunt Aimee made for his adoption party with some new pictures from the last three years, and got to stand in front of his class to tell them about who he is and who his people are. I got to revisit the photo of the first day I met him, as well as his first Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. I felt gratitude for getting to spend these with him and being able to celebrate his most recent birthday with his mom.

In addition to being able to use the pointer to present his poster, he enjoyed preschool powers such as being the line leader. For story time each day this week, the teacher read a story Jason had brought to school. "Dragons Eat Noodles on Tuesdays" is his all time favorite, "Dave and the giant pickle" is on repeat from the Veggie Tales Bible, "Jason to the Rescue" is a book his Nana and Bop-bop made for him that he can recite by heart, "The Littlest Train" because of his enduring love for trains, and "I love you all the same" is a book about a Mama whose babies all look different but are loved equally.

 Next week this young man will celebrate his 100th day of school, which means he will be more than half way through his final year of preschool. 

Campus Kinder Haus has been a gift to our family, and I am so thankful for the many ways they have nurtured him.

Sabbath Givers

There are times when I find only Josh and I are cleaning up toys that don't belong to us.

At those moments I attempt to course correct, set the kitchen timer for ten minutes, and commence the rousing game of how many toys can we all collectively clean up before it beeps. Even the 21 month olds will copy the others and pick things up.

While four children create a lot of mess, they also give a whole lot more joy.

This Sunday morning Josh and I were able to sleep until seven because Sophia quietly brought both babies down from their cribs with Jason.

Sophia had turned on the fireplace and was reading out loud to herself.

Jason had poured himself a bowl of cereal and milk and had been feeding his two younger siblings.

While his unorthodox method resulted in a significant amount of cereal on the floor, we were very grateful for this start to our Sabbath.

Christmas 2020

Similar to Thanksgiving of 2020, we weren't sure where we would spend Christmas or who would be present until about a week beforehand. 

We certainly didn't expect it to begin in a basement.

On Christmas Eve, we started the celebration in the basement of my childhood home where Bop-bop had set up my brother's trains. 

And all four children were enthusiasts.

We were able to attend Candle light Christmas Eve Services at Nana and Bop-bop's church as well as our own in our pajamas.

Christmas morning Uncle James and Aunt Rachael joined us for present opening.

The week before we had enjoyed a celebration with Jay and Alannah, with a virtual visit from Grammy and Grandpa as well.