A letter to my oldest son the day before his 6th birthday.....because Mr. Max decided he wanted to take a trip for his birthday so I'm not even going to attempt to type one up before we leave in the morning!
To My Big Guy Max,
You constantly amaze me. I'm not at all sad about you turning 6 because the older you are, the smarter, kinder, and more amazing you get. There are so many times that I second guess my parenting decisions, but then you do something and I realize I must be doing it right. You are THE BEST big brother. You worry about your little brother and sister and love to help them out--especially your sister. Although you can get bossy with them.
You're my little helper and very rarely make a fuss when I ask for your help with all of the other kids (not just your brother and sister). You are a quiet leader. You are very independent and always have been. You do things your own way and don't let anything or anyone stop you from doing it your way. This is the most challenging part of raising you, but I know this is your strongest suit.
You had an outstanding kindergarten year and I couldn't be more proud of all of your accomplishments. Your teacher said you were quiet (I am a little irritated at this as I just had to tell you to use your inside voice for the umpteenth time today), but made friends quickly. You join in with any crowd with no issue and try to make everyone feel welcome. I was so happy that your teacher loved this quality about you as much as I do. You're still quite the sensitive little boy and because of this you still give me kisses and hugs....even in front of your friends. You love to travel and our family adventures. You have an amazing imagination and are the most creative kid I know.
You love your fruits and veggies and constantly remind everyone to eat healthy. We just found out you have a lot more allergies than we thought and you have been such a champ about it! I was slightly worried when I told you no more M & M's or Oreo's and you responded "that's okay mom. If it helps me, then I'm okay with it."
You spend your time reading, drawing, playing with your Ninja Turtles, building Lego's, and playing with figurines. You still happily play with all of the younger daycare kids and do an amazing job of setting an example for them. Putting on Netflix and ruling the remote is your newest privilege for keeping up with your reading and math goals through the summer. You love to play outside, go to the beach, and can walk/jog an impressive 6 miles. It's been almost a full year since you needed stitches, which is also an impressive feat for you! We'll ignore the fact that you damaged your eye with the edge of a cardboard box and had to wear a patch and go to the eye doctor multiple times for a month.
Keep setting the bar high buddy! You LOVE going to school and are so excited to start 1st grade. I'm excited for you. I am so beyond proud of the boy you are becoming. You are simply the best 6 year old I could have ever asked for. You asked to go on vacation for your 6th birthday, but I was exhausted from the extremely busy month we've had. When I asked you if there was something else you'd rather do, you asked to read our Summer To Do List and picked something else on the list. There was no arguing, no fussing, or tears. Instead you told me you understood and found an alternative we were all happy with. Actions like this make my heart fill with pride. Thank you for constantly amazing me my Big Guy! You make me want to be a better person so I can set a better example for you.
I love you my little buddy!!
Love, Mom