Kristen Lanoye Photography

My little goose,

I just put you to bed for the last time as a one year old – tomorrow you will be two! This year flew by even faster than the last – looking through your pictures to make your photo banner made me realize how much you’ve grown and changed over this year. You are a feisty little thing – much more opinionated and defiant than your brother was at this age – you keep us on our toes every day! You talk so much – full sentences with some spanish words thrown in as well. You copy everything we say (and everything your brother does!) and you have the sweetest manners. You’re always saying thank you, bless you, you’re welcome at just the right time. You’re such a smart little thing and the things you say and do are so cute – I just want to bottle you up at this age. You’re a bit petite for your age and have tiny little feet that you just love to put shoes or boots on. Your favorites right now are your rain boots and you love wearing “pwitty dwesses” as well. Mama is not into dresses or shoes for herself but I just love dressing you up – something I never dreamed I would love as much as I do.

You love watching Peppa, Max and Ruby and have just discovered Paw Patrol. You are still loving Mickey Mouse Clubhouse as well. You have just started really playing with your baby dolls and strollers and you love being pushed around the house on your wheely bug or train car. You love to color and draw and I often find you at your little table in the morning with your paper and markers. You always direct dada to sit next to you at the little table and draw. You are not much of a meal eater but constantly ask for a snack 😛 You will try just about any food though and love most fruits and veggies as well as spaghetti, mac n cheese and chicken nuggets. You just started daycare a few weeks ago and have done very well with the transition – you say bye to mama with a quivering lip but I am told you quickly start playing and there are no tears. Your weeta has been watching you almost every day since you were a few months old and you two are the best of friends – she is going home next week and I know you will miss her very much. Your favorite person besides mama and dada is definitely brother – you two play so well together for the large age gap and are very good at sharing your toys. Gamma, Papa and Weeta top the favorites list as well.

I know that before I know it another year will fly by so I am trying to soak up all of the sweet and adorable things that make up you at this age – while I can’t wait to see the amazing person you will grow into I wish time would slow down just a tad. Watching you and your brother grow and learn has been my life’s greatest blessing – mama and dada love you so very much.

Happy Birthday Ellie girl!

-Mama

My sweet little guy,

Once again the year has flown by and we put you to bed tonight for the last time as a five year old. Tomorrow you are six!! You just finished transitional kindergarten at your new school and had a great year. You learned so much and met so many new friends in both class and after school daycare. You also just finished up your first year of baseball and you loved having dada help coach your team. You still play soccer and I think you prefer it a bit over baseball and you still take swimming lessons each week so our weeks are very busy between practices, lessons, homework and games. You love being busy and active and you have a hundred times the energy mama does. You lost your two bottom teeth a few months ago and were excited to have visits from the tooth fairy. Your big teeth grew in quickly so we didn’t have a gap toothed smile for long. You are such a happy guy – always singing and talking and you make friends wherever we go.

You still love playing with cars and dinosaurs and are into anything super hero and some star wars. You love building as well with blocks and Legos and can put together simple sets with little help. You love watching Paw Patrol, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Dinotrux, etc but will always let Ellie watch her Mickey or Peppa when you’re both in the room. You absolutely love your sister and we couldn’t ask for a better big brother for her. You play so nicely with her, help take care of her and are so sweet with her all the time, even when she is constantly taking your toys or her needs are put before yours. Watching your relationship with her grow has been one of my greatest joys over the last year and I hope you always remain close. Dada remains your best friend and you two are constantly going on adventures together to the movies, dino playground, Kids Concepts, out on your scooters, etc. Your cousins are close runners up and I’m so glad we all live close so you guys can grow up together.

You have been counting down for this birthday – you can’t wait to be a big six year old and a kindergartener in the fall. While I love watching you grow and change each year I wish time would slow down just a little bit – I know you promise you’ll always live close to us if not with us but I know that someday soon you’ll prefer hanging out with your friends to spending time with us. Until then I will enjoy every minute of watching you grow and learn. Happy Birthday to our first baby – mama and dada love you so much!