To My Little Valentines

To My Boys,

  WOW! I can't believe this is my fifth year writing a Valentine blog post to my sons!  Zander, how can you be turning FIVE in a couple months?!  You are so excited about starting kindergarten at mommy's school and mommy is so ready to have you close by every day.  For you to get a "taste" of what mommy does all day while you are in preschool.  It kinda scares me though.  I can't believe I have a child getting ready to start school.... a commitment which will take you through the next 13 + years of your life!  I pray that you love school as much as you do right now.  I pray that you soak up all your teachers want you to learn as you do right now.  You can count at least to 50 at this point and amaze me daily by telling what letters words start and end with... it is incredible to see the phonemic awareness you already have!  You try to teach your brother everything you know.  For example, this evening, you were trying to tell him the colors on the blocks we were playing with.  I hope you will never get tired of teaching your little brother all the things you are learning.  Always protect your little brother and hold his hand like you do when he is scared or when he needs to walk away from something that could be potentially dangerous.  Always help to bring him up to your level.....like when you help to bring him up on mommy and daddy's bed when we are cuddling.  Always offer him encouragement like when you say "good job Maddox".  He will always need to hear these things from his big brother and he is so lucky to have you!  I am so lucky to have you! I love how excited you get about starting little league in a few weeks.  I love how you run to your folder at preschool when I pick you up to show that you have had a "smiley face" day.   I love how you remind me right before bed every night "If I have bad dreams, I will come tell you" (and you do!)  I love your ability to memorize scripture verses and the plot to many of your favorite books.  I love your smile and how your eyes light up when you are telling a good story.  I love how you use your hands to tell that good story.  I love that you are the boy that made me a mommy. <3

And Maddox, you will always be the one I look at and realize that you were meant to be in our family.  You were meant to complete our family.  Your smile and laugh are infectious.  You still love sucking your thumb and twirling your hair when you are tired.  And you still give the best cuddles in the world!  You have mastered this whole potty-training thing like a champ!  I love that right before bed as I am singing one of your nighttime songs, you lean over and kiss my cheek and then giggle like you are proud of understanding what a kiss means!  I love that you try to twirl my hair when we are sitting in the recliner before bed.  I love that you try to sing along to the songs we sing before bed....In "Jesus Loves Me"... you will belt out "strong" like you know that while you may be "weak" as a child, Jesus is "strong" enough to accomplish anything.  I love that when I pick you up from school, you enthusiastically say "mommy" and drop whatever toy you are playing with and then promptly ask me if you can carry my keys.  I love that you are saying phrases and sentences now and each day offers new words in your vocabulary.  I love that you try to do everything your brother does.  You will chase after him with a toy car or run laps around the downstairs after daddy or I say "ready, set, go".  Speaking of running.... I absolutely love how you run!  Also, you can tell you feel like such a big boy when you are going potty in the bathroom or when you are drinking from a regular cup.  I absolutely love you in zip-up footed pajamas, and I love when you dress up for church.  I love how you kick a ball or play with your friends when we are helping out in the nursery.  I love getting to see what you are like when mommy and daddy aren't around.  I might watch you sometimes before you notice I am watching just to see what you will do next.  Maddox, thank you for joining this family two years ago and for being the exclamation point on the Houston family..... for being my baby boy and Zander's little brother! <3

With all my love,

Mommy