Jake,

Four years ago on this day, my life changed forever and I was given a new name because of you. I was a mommy. I was your mommy. At 8:38 a.m. you entered our lives with a cry to let us all know that you were here and ready to take over. We didn’t sleep much the first night, not because we were nervous as first time parents it was because you felt the need to be awake every 30 minutes to eat and cry. It was from that moment we should have known that our prayers had been answered.

You need people. I must say that this is a blessing and a curse; you never want to be alone. Your love for Judd continues to grow and your bond is tighter with each day. He is your best friend. You don’t always agree but he is the one you want to play with you all the time. He makes you laugh and cry. He is your “dusting” partner, your wrestling partner, he is the one you want to be near.

I am not quite sure you know how to be quiet. Even when you are winding down in your bed at night we hear you talking. “Daddy, does rug rhyme with hug? Does cat start with a C? Duh Duh- D makes the Duh sound. Etc…” Speaking of sleep, oh how I wish you would sleep. Everyday almost without fail you are bouncing through the house saying, “There is a 7 on my clock. I am awake.”

You are very friendly especially when we are in public. You love to speak to people in stores and you don’t understand why they are not talking back to you. But I guess this doesn’t surprise me since the first person you waved to was a man in the Chili’s restaurant when you were 10 months old. You are a very verbal child who isn’t shy and isn’t afraid to speak your mind. People give you energy. Opinion. If there is one thing you have it is an opinion.

The days of long three hour naps are slowly slipping away which are now being replaced with “quiet times.” You are becoming a boy. A real boy. Sniff…Sniff…

You are so close to reading and I am anxious to help you unlock this whole new world. You can write your name and you love to do projects with Mommy and Judd. You do enjoy learning but independent study isn’t your thing. (Remember, you need people.)

As of this week you want oatmeal for breakfast and pb&j for lunch everyday. As of last week, you thought cutting your own hair would be a fun thing to try. Needless to say, you now have a cute little buzz cut.

You can wiggle your ears, which is really cool.

You make me proud. You are the next generation. You have so many questions about God and Jesus. You memory is amazing and your scripture memory would put many adults to shame.

This has been an amazing four years. We have had days where we want to cry and pull our hair out but by God’s grace we are given 8 hours of sleep and a brand new day to build wonderful memories together. Some of our sweetest moments of late are when you randomly say “Hey mommy, I love you.” “Jake I love you the most” “Mommy, I love you to Pluto and back.” Two years ago, I didn’t know if I would ever hear those words come out of your mouth. Thanks for loving me.

I thank God that He chose me to be your mommy and that you, my Jake, are my first-born. I wouldn’t trade being your mommy for anything in the world. Thanks for teaching me love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.