Happy 9th Birthday, Jackson!

My sweet Jackson,

And now you are 9! Somehow that happened.

You are still the sweetest, most conscientious, careful and sensitive kid I know. But then, just when I think you are so shy and tentative, I hear you screaming with your friends during swim class, or tearing around the playground like a banshee.

You've plowed through most of the Harry Potter series this year, you've just completed Book 5. Which is still a surprise to me since you still turn away if Kermit the Frog graces a television screen in your presence, as you're still scared of the Muppets. I think it must have been a pivotal moment in your brain-synapsis-building when you saw some Muppet you did not like, and that was that for you.

You've moved on from pizza - although it's still your hands-down favorite - I now think soup dumplings are a close second. No bagels, pancakes, or waffles for you though, thank you very much. And you would eat 6 Granny Smith apples a day if I let you.

Legos are still going strong. You've amassed quite a collection, and once you start building one, your focus is total and complete until you are done.

You participated voluntarily in the Science Fair this year - The Invisible Ink Project. You didn't want to go the extra mile, but in the end, you did. I'm so proud of you for that.

Your best buddy is your brother. Since you are together constantly, it's like you are each other's shadow. I'm so lucky that you are able to play, laugh, crack each other up (For one week straight you chanted Undies, Undies Solomon Grundy Rat-a-tat-tat to each other and would dissolve in laughter).

You have a lot of friends at school and everyone likes you. You cause no problems and you're continually at the top of your class, getting points, awards, and commendations. Right now we're waiting to hear if your handmade book (one of the top three in your class) will earn you a spot as Class Representative next year).

For your birthday this year, we got together in Prospect Park near Vanderbilt Playground (your request) and celebrated with 16 of your buddies, and donuts. Paper airplanes, a piñata, and free play was it!

I love you more than words can ever say. Thank you for the best 9 years, and I know this year is going to be a good one!

Love,
Mama

PS Letters on your first birthday, your second birthday, and your third birthday, fourth birthday, and fifth birthday and sixth birthday and seventh birthday, and eighth birthday.  

Happy 8th Birthday, Jackson!

My dear, sweet Jackson,

And now you are 8! The sweetest, smartest, best little 8 year old I know. Continually making us smile. I'm so proud of who you are becoming as you get older. You're a hard worker, a great student - coming home and immediately doing your homework before I even ask you. Your notes from your teachers consistently say things like, "Good job, Jackson! We love how hard you are working!" You are an avid reader, going on to the Brooklyn Public Library website and placing holds on books you want to read. Dragon Slayers series, 39-Story Treehouse, Mighty Robots series, and of course, anything with penguins in it. Your love of penguins has reached a whole new level. You just completed an amazing science fair project on penguins. You did just a good job, including 17 watercolor paintings of the 17 different types of penguins. You are so talented, buddy.

You swim like a fish and are one of the top 3 swimmers in your PS10 class. You're in the Fish class at the Y, and even though you hate it, you get in there and do your laps without complaining.  You started karate this year and I love watching you - so loud and precise - with your kicks and arm chops. You love it.

Your favorite toys are Legos. You can put together legos like a machine. You just got some GREAT sets from Bebe and I'm sure you are going to put them together in no time at all. Once you start something, you get it done.

Your favorite food - still pizza. In fact, you ate half a pizza on Sunday. Later you came up to me and whispered, "I don't think we should do my birthday brownies today. I ate too much pizza." But then you rallied and made room for the brownies, because no cake or cupcakes for you, thank you very much. You do not like them. You are the only kid who will go to a birthday party and politely say, "No thank you. I do not like cake." Green juice. You could live on green juice. Your top favorite restaurants: Ikea, Hancos, Dino-saur BBQ, and Mike Daddy's pizza. You've started eating a lot more foods though. Even though you're still a skinny little kid. It's awesome to see you try things more and more.

You're becoming more and more independent - and are starting to roll your eyes at Mama and Dada when we say certain things. Sometimes I ask you a question and you answer "Of course!!!!" like a 16-year old teenager. Please hold off on that a little more.

I love you so much my heart could burst. You make me so happy, Jackson. I am so lucky I get to be your mama. Happy happy birthday.

Love,
Mama

PS Letters on your first birthday, your second birthday, and your third birthday, fourth birthday, and fifth birthday and sixth birthday and seventh birthday.  

Happy 7th Birthday, Jackson!

Dear Jackson,

My dear, sweet 7 year old! How in the world did that happen?!

What a great year this has been for you. You're almost done with first grade with Mr. Cliff at PS10. You've learned how to read -- level, E, F, G.....now J and K. Superhero books are still your favorite reading materials, although Dr. Seuss and PD Eastman are still going strong. More than reading, you love drawing. Every night before bed, you and Dada (and lately Cade) lie on the floor with notebooks spread out in front of you, colored pencils scattered across the floor (Nonno got you an electric pencil sharpener to assist with that task), and draw til it's time to get into bed (7:30). Then you read in bed til lights-out (8:00). You still threaten to come into our room and sleep in there and to be honest, I'll be a little sad when you don't say that you want that anymore.

You are still our little day-dreamer, staring into space while chewing....slowly forgetting to chew....looking out the window til I say, "Jackson! What are you DOING!" Sometimes you'll sigh and say, "Day-dreaming!" You might take 20 minutes to wash your hands or brush your teeth and Dada and I have NO idea what you are doing in there. But in spite of this languidness, you love to run. In the mornings, you give your backpack to Dada so you can run unhindered. You run as fast as Cade scoots on his scooter. Go, Jackson, go!

You've gone to see some movies in the theatre - Captain America and the Lego Movie. Still unsure about a lot of animated movies (the Frozen bug missed this house), you prefer adult superhero films (hmm, I wonder why?). On top of that, you know how to work Spotify and EVERY DAY after school I have the pleasure of hearing X-Men (the Soundtrack), Green Lantern (the Soundtrack), Batman (the Soundtrack), Captain America (the Soundtrack).....you get the picture. Needless to say, not my fav. You love taking pictures too.

You have lots of friends, your best friend changes now and then, but when I went to bring cupcakes to your classroom, your classmates described you as "caring, funny, handsome, a good friend, and fun to play with."  Did I mention you are an awesome big brother? Well you are. Not always patiently and quietly, but compared to some siblings I've seen, you guys get along really well and really are each other's best friends. I'm so happy that you have each other.

I love you buddy. Now, always, forever and ever. I'm so thankful that you are mine.

Love,
Mama


PS Letters on your first birthday, your second birthday, and your third birthday, fourth birthday, and fifth birthday and sixth birthday.  

PPS You still hate peas. 

happy 6th birthday, Jackson!

 


Dear Jackson, 

My sweet, sweet boy. Today you turn 6. 

You are a gentle, kind, mellow (except when you get crazy), thoughtful, handsome and smart little man. You are learning to read - in fact, last night I heard you reading Pajama Time to Cade after you were supposed to be in your bed, standing up, leaning over his bed to read it to him. You're already good at math. 

I'm so incredibly proud of you, of what you accomplish, of who you are becoming. You only want to wear Superhero shirts. You have trouble putting on your socks. You love to dance to Gangam Style. You love to make your own movies. You still love to climb trees. You lost your first tooth. You learned how to ride a bike. You can put together a Lego set faster than I can read the directions for it. You love kittens, puppies and chicks like there's no tomorrow. Your big blue eyes kill me every time I look into them. This past year has been a hard one for you - Kindergarten, a new school, new friends, new routine, new everything. Some days you need a lot of hugs. As we know, you are an anxious little guy, and you struggle sometimes to stay strong. Nightmares are common, and we don't watch a lot of movies because you tend to be afraid of everything. You draw in your journal - actually, your index of Superhero, Good Guys and Bad Guys, every night, and you can't seem to brush your teeth without making a mess of your chin and the entire bathroom.

Happy Birthday, my dear sweet boy. I love you more than you can imagine - I will love you forever and ever, "googaplex times infinity plus 101" - as big as the Empire State Building.

Love, Mama

PS Letters on your first birthday, your second birthday, and your third birthday, fourth birthday, and fifth birthday. 

happy 5th birthday, Jackson!

Dear Jackson,

Today you turn 5. The long-awaited coutdown to your 5th birthday, where you crossed out days on the calendar on the chalkboard and marked off the numerical coutdown next to that, is over. While you tried to convince me on Wednesday that was really only 1 more day til your birthday, and explained your thinking (Wednesday doesn't count, and you don't count Friday either).

You're the sweetest boy I've ever met.  You protect your brother - I've seen you ride your bike and cut him off at the sidewalk when he seemed to be going to close too the street.  I've seen you lean down and give baby Finn a kiss on his knee. I've seen you rub Dada's forehead as he sleeps in the morning.

You are incredibly slow. A day-dreamer. Which can be frustrating when I am trying to get you out the door. I often say, "You're slow as molasses!" And you respond emphatically, "I'm NOT slow as molasses!" But it doesn't seem to make you move any faster. Sometimes while you are eating breakfast you just slowly stop eating and sit and stare out the window of the backyard. Dada always says, "I would love to know what's goin' on in there," as he looks at you.

You're starting to add and subtract. Your letters are great, and your teachers say you have some of the best handwriting in your class. You remember the strangest things that you learn in school, and tell me days or even weeks after you've learned them. You also seem to think you can speak Spanish, which apparently, you learned all by yourself.

You just learned how to climb trees. At Gael's party, when a stomp rocket blasted up into a 25-foot tree, you looked at Brett and said, so earnestly, "I can get it!"

Every night you write and draw in your journal. Every night I say, "You forgot something!" and with a world-weary sigh you say, "Mama! I didn't forget!" and drop what you're doing to give me the biggest, strongest hug, which feels like the best thing in the world.

Happy Birthday, my dear sweet boy. I love you to the moon and back. I will love you forever and ever, as much love as you could ever imagine, times infinity plus 101.

Love, Mama

PS Letters on your first birthday, your second birthday, and your third birthday, and fourth birthday. 

happy 4th birthday, Jackson!

Dear Jackson,

To my beautiful boy, on your 4th birthday. This year was a pretty big one for you, in the grand scheme of things.  I watched you reach many milestones this past year -  you sucessfully and quickly (thank you) learned how to use the potty. You started three full days at a real school. You graduated into a 'big boy bed.' And you got to experience fishing for the first time.

You also began to play with your little brother, instead of just grabbing things away from him (although you still do that too). But oftentimes I hear you say, so earnestly, and gently even, "Cade, you want to play this? You want to play this?" And when he doesn't answer you, you say, "Baby Cade, I answered you a question!!!"

You have some pretty funny quirks and characteristics, but that is what makes you YOU. I wouldn't change anything about you for the world.

Happy birthday, buddy. You make my heart so happy.

Love, Mama

PS Letters on your first birthday, your second birthday, and your third birthday. 

happy birthday, buddy!

Dear Jackson,

Three years! You have three years now. I can't believe it. Especially when I look back and see just HOW LITTLE YOU WERE ONE YEAR AGO!

This past year has been a huge growth period for you. You became a big brother! How amazing is that? I know it's been a challenge having someone here who takes your toys, moves into your room, and takes your mama's time and attention. Just know that you are still my baby, and you always will be (just like Nonno still tells me I'm still HIS baby).

You've also learned how to negotiate, talk back a little, and sometimes cry a lot. When you cry a lot, it reminds me that in the grand scheme of things, you are still a little new to this world. I think because Cade is a real baby we expect you to be all-of-a-sudden all grown up.

We've moved to a new house where you have your own little room and a backyard to play in. You miss the old house, I think, because whenever we drive over by there, you say, "We go to the red house, Mama?" (red meaning brick).

Your vocabulary is growing overnight - I think because of the books we read you every night. My favorite word you say right now - Massachusetts. Might be the cutest thing you've ever said. I also like it when I ask you if you cried when we cut your hair (with the clippers) and you say, " a litt-le bit."

Happy Birthday Jackson. You make me so incredibly happy. I love you forever.

Love,
Mama

happy birthday, baby!

Dear Jackson,

Two years ago you came into our lives and changed it forever for the better.

This past year feels like a whirlwind of watching you grow, filled with firsts. It gives me so much joy to look back and see what you've accomplished, and how you're really coming into your own.

That first year I could just sit there and look at you in wonder. This past year I haven't been able to sit as much, but I still look at you in wonder. I still can't believe how much love I have in my heart for you. I still think you are the cutest baby ever. But recently, I've been seeing a little boy in you, even though part of me wants to deny it.

And now that baby is due in 6 weeks, I wanted to tell you how special this time was, just you and me, how lucky I am to have had these two years with you, and how I will always look back on this time with so much joy and love for you.

Happy 2nd birthday, baby! We love you so very very much.

Love,
Mama

happy birthday, baby!

One year ago today, you came into our lives and changed it forever. Hands-down, this has been the best year of my life. Sometimes the hardest. Sometimes the funniest. Sometimes the saddest. But definitely the most exciting, most fulfilling, most eye-opening, and most rewarding.

Your birth was hard. You were born by emergency C-section after 27 hours in labor. The weather outside makes me think of standing outside of our building, waiting for a car to take us to the hospital. That was Thursday, May 24. You were born on Friday, May 25, around 7 pm.

When we put you in the car to take you home, I sat in the back with you. Jon drove so carefully on the FDR drive. I was nervous just sitting next to you.

Since then, everyday we continue to be amazed at your expressions, your laughs, your smiles, and your cries. It's amazing to see your new actions, responses, and your continued exploration and curiosity fascinates us.

When we first brought you home, we would sit and stare at you in your bassinet. I can't believe it's been a year, and I still sit here and stare at you. I just smile thinking about it. You make me smile everyday.

Tomorrow we are going to celebrate your birthday with so many people who love you. The joy and love you have brought into everyone's lives fills my heart.

Happy Birthday, Baby Jackson. I love you so much.






Here are two pictures from when you arrived May 25th last year.