Dear Isaac,

Is it possible that you are three years old today? Another year has flown by, and you've grown up into a full-fledged little boy.

I'm expecting you home any minute from your last day at school--you've been in Ms. Lisa's class for just about a year now, and it has been such a great experience for you. You have loved the bus, and music class, and Granny Ruby and Ms. Lisa. We hear that lately you have been the little leader of the classroom, telling new little boys and girls when they're supposed to put their feet on the floor and when it's time to go to gym. You took your time with things like eating and talking and walking, but once you started, you never looked back.

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six months later.....


Dear Isaac,

Your school bus pulled up, just as I was finishing that last paragraph, and now it's six months later, and I'm just getting around to finishing your three-year letter. That's how life goes sometimes, I guess.

As I write, you are upstairs whimpering because you don't want to be in bed, and you know your Daddy has gone away for a meeting. We assured you he'll only be gone an hour, and he'll check in on you as soon as he gets home, but you just can't stand the thought of being away from your favorite person in the world.

It's crazy-sweet to see how much you and your Daddy love each other. I hope the closeness and joy you two share will last through your middle-school rebellion and your teenage "cool" phase. Even now it's not all laughs all the time. There are plenty of tantrums and moments were your Daddy (and I) lose our patience and need to just walk away. But there's no doubt you two were made for each other.

We tried the 3-day-potty-training thing back in April, but you weren't having it. As with everything, you want to do things in your own time, and not a minute before you decide you're ready. At three and a half you are getting close, and we're letting you take the lead.

I'm working three days a week now, and you spend that time with Miss Jeni, Seth, Cassy, Jenna, Haley, Aly and sometimes Brooke and Cam. You really enjoy your time there, and I can tell you love Miss Jeni. Whenever we see her at church you light up and want her to pick you up. I'm grateful that we've found a place for you to feel safe and have fun while Daddy and I are working.

In February we celebrated our birthdays together with a Star-Wars-themed party, and you got to watch some of each of the original three movies, which you actually loved. I can't wait to watch them with you for real when you're older. There are so many things that I just can't wait to share with you.

Highlights from your summer have been spending 5 days with each of your grandparents, sleeping in a tent (in your room, unfortunately, because of rain), and being the ring-bearer in your Uncle Tommy's wedding. What a dashing gentleman you were, escorting two pretty girls down the aisle!

You love cars, both toy ones and real ones. Whenever you see a Pontiac Vibe you say, "There's an old Vibe like Daddy's!" You also recognize Honda CRVs from the late '90s and recent Toyota Rav 4s, because those are the cars your grandmas drive. You spot them every time we're on the road, and it never ceases to amaze us.

I tell you every day, many times, that I love you, and you tend to immediately change the subject. That's OK. I'm going to keep saying it over and over, so you'll never forget it, and never doubt it.

I love you,

Mommy