Happy Birthday!

Dear Mikey,

I can’t tell you how much I love you.  You are funny.  Not just kinda funny, hella funny (there I go with the valley slang).  Everyday you come up with new insightful things.  I love seeing the world through your little eyes.  You still absolutely adore me and your Dad.  I’m still the smartest, prettiest, funniest, most talented lady you know.  And in this family kissing ass gets you a long way.

You love everything that has to do with the army.  The police are a close second.  But if the profession gets to carry a gun, you’ll add them to your short list of acceptable professions.

For Halloween you wanted to be Indiana Jones, because you really want to be Indy in real life.  I think that might be the only way to convince you to go to college instead of becoming a mercanary.  Indiana Jones is a college professor and gets to carry a gun and ride in a jeep and fight bad guys.  We couldn’t find a suitable Indy costume, so you’re going to be a GI Joe, or an E.I.O. as you call them.  While at Walmart you tried to convince me to buy a storm trooper gun, because EIO would be so much better if he had a storm trooper gun.

It’s hard being the middle child, and I’m a little sorry for that.  You’re stuck not being the baby but not yet being a big kid.  And it’s frustrating.  You want to be big and go bike riding with Marshall or play video games with Marshall and his friends, but your still little.  You still are happy to sit in my lap.  Sometimes, you still cry uncontrollably like your 2.

You’re learning to tie your shoes.  Your sister is helping  you.  And I am more than happy to let her help you.  You aren’t the sweetest child when you get frustrated.  But you have a great incentive.  Margaret’s given you Heelys and you’re dying to wear them and fall and break a bone.

I love your work ethic.  You might not be fast or very good but you usually give it your all.  Well, that is unless you’re tormenting your brother.  When Dave declared that when he works in the backyard the kids all have to work in the back yard, everyone groaned and complained.  You replied with “Really?  That is the best rule ever!”

I love how smart and inventive you are.  Not only are you wonderful with duct tape, but also cardboard and scotch tape.  You’ve recently taken up drawing and I am excited that I can now almost always identify the guns, the tanks, the enemy jets and the EIOs.

It touches my heart how much you love “your babies”.  In the morning, more often than not, I’ll find you in their cribs playing with them.  You’re quick to help them and play with them.  You love to show them new ways to get in trouble.  Things like standing on their push cars or opening doors.  You are a great big brother.

And, you are a great little brother.  You do all the things little brothers are supposed to.  You torment and follow and tease and nag.  You snitch and gripe and cry when they don’t let you play.  You borrow toys and make messes and then use your wonderful smile and quick wit to deny, deny, deny and sometimes blame.

Happy 6th Birthday!  May this year be filled with more wonderful things than you can ever remember!

Love,

Mommy