Letter To Drew

Dear Drew,

Today you are turning 4 and you are super cranky about it!  For months you have been telling us that "I don't want to turn 4.  I wanna stay 3 foweva!"  At times, you have even cried about it!  I'm not sure why you are so upset about it.  Maybe because you've heard us say that when you turn 4 you'll go to preschool? Or, we'd like to think it's because you've had an awesome 3rd year of life! Regardless, your birthday is here...there is no stopping it! 
Your 3rd year of life has been so fun with you Drew.  You got fully potty trained, you transitioned from your crib to your toddler bed and ultimately to sharing the queen size bed with Bryce.  You've learned to ride your bike, phonics, how to swim, how to undress/dress and how to read & spell a little bit.
Drew, you have endured A LOT this year.  You had ear surgery at Children's Hospital to remove a cyst.  You are also recovering from having your tonsils & adenoids removed.  You've battled with sleep apnea and breathing problems.  Mommy & Daddy are so proud of you.  You have been very brave, tough and patient through it all.  Hopefully, you will not have to have anymore surgeries.
Drew, you have SO many favorites, I don't think I can list them all!  This year you've added lots of new favorite babies.  In addition to your "Baby D & Booger", you've added Freddy the Frog, Larry the Cucumber and Theodore the Chipmunk.  You tend to rotate your favorites every few months.  Your favorite colors are green & orange, although, you really love ALL the colors of the rainbow.  You are a tv bug and have lots of favorites, but your top 3 shows are Curious George, Word World & Chuggington.  You love to play outside - driving your car, riding bikes, playing with your remote control cars and exploring.  You love nature and bugs!  You love to play with your Daddy.  He chases you, tickles you, tackles you , wrestles with you and boxes you...you just ask for more!  You love to snuggle with your Mommy.  You enjoy baking and making fruit smoothies with me.  And recently, have enjoyed making crafts.  You love to lay your head on Mommy & Daddy's shoulders at night to read books - your favorites are your Bible and Curious George books.  Drew, you are very independent.  You like to spend time alone and tend to be a "home body."  Although, you do love to travel! You love your family and friends but don't have the need to socialize as much as Bryce! Your nickname has been "Drew Bug" for most of your life but recently you don't like your play name...you only like your real name!
We are so thankful we got you swim lessons.  Drew, we are absolutely blown away at your abilitiy.  You are truly a natural in the water.  You can swim up to 30 feet and hold your breath the whole time!  You also love to play your Wii, your marble run and your train track.  You also love to play playhousedisney.com and pbskids.org on the computer.
You have lots of favorite foods Drew, but you are more of a picky eater.  You like yougurt, fruit smoothies, fruits & vegetables, pasta, PB & J, muffins, and Mommy's homemade pizza!
Drew, you have such a sweet spirit.  You are soft spoken, gentle & kind and are a caretaker.  You are very sensitive - you get your feelings hurt easily but you are also sensitive toward others.  You are playful, silly and quirky at times.  You love to snuggle and be held but you are also independent.  You like adventure and don't fear much!  I love it when you tell me "Mommy, I love you and you're pretty."  You are very kind to your brother and considerate to Bryce.  You often think of him before yourself.  If you two are fighting, Bryce is usually to blame.  You like to be busy.  Your attention span is not long so it's hard to have "learning time" with you.  Thankfully, you learn quickly!  When you get cranky, it's usually because you have low blood sugar.  Usually a snack will perk you right up!
As you start your 4th year of life we are possibly facing some big changes.  Unfortunately, you don't like change, but we know you'll adapt well.  Daddy's job may be taking us to the Memphis area.  We will probably be selling the home that you have been raised in and moving to a home in Tennessee.  We hope that we can get a bigger home with a big play room for all of your toys.  Daddy even said we may be able to built a fort outside and possibly even get a puppy! You will also be starting preschool in the Fall!  Just know, that Mommy & Daddy pray everyday to God, that he would give us discernment in wisdom in raising you.  No matter what changes come our way, you will always be loved.  Mommy & Daddy love you so much.  We will always love you, protect you, guide you and teach you.  We always want you to feel safe & secure.
We are proud of you Drew and are so thankful you are our son!

Love,
Mommy & Daddy

Letter To Bryce

Dear Bryce,
Today, you are turning 4 years old!  Suprisingly, you are not in the least bit excited for it.  For months you have been telling us that, "I don't want to turn 4.  I want to stay 3 foweva!"  I've never known a child that doesn't want to have a birthday and turn a year older!  Obviously, you loved being 3 and that makes Mommy & Daddy feel really good!
Your 3rd year of life has certainly been a momentus one.  You were fully potty-trained around your 3rd birthday.  We transitioned you from your crib into a toddler bed and then ultimately moved you & Drew into a queen size bed.  You learned how to swim, how to ride your bike and how to undress/ dress yourself.  Bryce, you also have learned your phonics and how to read & spell a little.

Bryce,  your favorite baby is still your long, red caterpillar but "Spot" the puppy runs a close second.  Your favorite color is red and your favorite TV show is Curious George.  You love to snuggle in your bed at night with Mommy or Daddy to read your Bible and Curious George books.  You adore spending time with your Daddy and will help him with any project he is working on - washing cars, mowing the grass and building/fixing things.  You love to touch buttons and learn how everything fits together and works so we recently nicknamed you "Gadget Boy!" Thankfully, you still love spending time with Mommy.  You love to help me cook/bake and to help me clean house.  Hopefully, you will always find it fun to help me make the beds, vacuum, dust, do laundry and the dishes!  I love that you ask to have "special time" with me, especially if it involves shopping!  You also love adventure and to travel.
Recently, we introduced you to playhousedisney.com and pbskids.org.  You are so smart on the computer and really enjoy learning new games.  You also enjoy playing in your ball pit, putting your marble run together, playing with your trains. and your Wii.  Outside, you love to ride bikes, play with remote control cars and swim.

Bryce, you have an awesome personality.  You are very outgoing, adventerous, inquisitive, happy and a joy to be around.  You are very social.  You love to be around people, to talk to people and to talk on the phone...just like your Daddy!  You are a hard worker and you like boundaries - you like to know what the plan is and to know what to expect.  You tend to have a little bit of a temper. As Daddy says, "Bryce loves BIG and gets mad BIG!" You can be very ornery to your brother and can throw some pretty big tantrums.  Typically, it's because you didn't get your way or or you were not first...or, most likely because you were very tired

Thankfully Bryce, you are a pretty good eater.  You love eggs, yogurt, fruits & vegetables, pasta, cheeseburgers, meatloaf, soups & quesadillas.  There is not much you will not eat!  I love it when you tell me, "Mommy this dinner is delicious.  Thank you for making it for me!"
Bryce, you make me & your Daddy smile every day.  We love your hugs & kisses.  We pray every day that God will give us wisdom & discernment as we raise you. We are expecting some big changes in your 4th year of life.  Daddy may get a job transfer to the Memphis area so we may be moving from Arkansas to Tennessee.  We will be selling the house that you have been raised in and will be buying a new home in TN.  Hopefully, we can get a bigger home with a huge play room for you & Drew to put all of your toys in.  Daddy also said that maybe we could build a fort outside and maybe get a puppy?!  No matter what changes come our way Bryce, Mommy & Daddy will always love you, teach you, guide you and protect you.  We want you to always feel safe & secure.

We love you so much Bryce.  We are so proud of you and are so thankful that you are our son!
Love,
Mommy & Daddy

Our Letter to Drew

Our sweet Drew,

It's hard to imagine that in just a few days you will be turning 3 years old! 36 months ago you were placed in our arms and we immediately fell in love with you!

The 2nd year of your life has been a joyous adventure! You have learned your colors, numbers, letters, shapes and how to spell your name, Bryce's name and even a few words. You have learned to cut with scissors, to talk in complete sentences and to play your VSmile video games. When you pray it melts our heart! You have also learned how to go potty on the big-boy potty, although you're not completely potty-trained yet!

You love to play outside - to drive your car, ride your trike and scooter, to golf, kick balls, throw your frisbee, to blow bubbles, and to look at bugs and frogs! It is unbelievable to watch you shoot baskets on your basketball hoop. You can sink shot after shot from 6-8 feet! You love your bounce house. You adore swimming and are fearless in the pool. You love puzzles, games and spending time with Daddy outside. You also enjoy cooking with Mommy, Play-Doh, gymnastics, puzzles, singing & dancing, and playing hide & seek. Your favorite TV shows are Diego and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Your favorite books are Curious George and letter, color and shape books. You have 2 favorite colors - orange and yellow. Thankfully you are a fast learner because you don't have much patience to sit for long!

You are a pickier eater than Bryce. You tend to "snack" your way through the day. Mommy is always concerned that you are not eating enough so I tend to keep track of your calories and protein intake. Your favorite foods are: yogurt, fruit smoothies, french toast, pizza, olives, fruit, corn, PB & J sandwiches, grilled cheese and tomato soup, cheese, Mexican food (especially chips and salsa), and lollipops (you call them lollihops.)

You have such a sweet personality Drew James. You are very sensitive and tender-hearted. You love others deeply and show concern when they are hurt or upset. You love your family, your friends and ALL of your babies (especially D and Booger!) You love to give hugs and kisses. When Daddy or I leave the house you always tell us "I need hugs & kisses." You are very independent and like to do things your way. You are silly and do lots of goofy things! You tend to be the leader in most things and are very active. The only time you sit still is when you're watching TV.

At times, you can be temperamental and argumentative. You often have a one-track mind and want to do things "Drew's way." You are very sweet and loving with Bryce. When the two of you are fighting over a toy you typically just give in to him! You are very blessed to have your "Bryce a Bear!"

You are much like your Daddy when it comes to sleep. You prefer to skip your nap - why nap when you can be playing?! You prefer to go to bed around 7:30 and sleep for 12 hours straight.

Mommy and Daddy love you so much Drew. We are so thankful that God chose us to be your parents. It is an absolute honor and joy to raise you and to call your our son. We look forward to the adventures in your 3rd year of life and all the things you will learn. Thank you for being such a good boy!

Love,
Mommy and Daddy
Here's some of my favorite pics of Drew in his 2nd year of life...