Happy Birthday to my handsome boy. I have been so amazed at the wonderful changes in you. You have become so confident and brave and willing to try many new things. I was impressed this past summer during swim team when the coaches put you in the backstroke for 1 meet. You absolutely hate backstroke (like a lot of kids your age. It's just scary to not see where you're going). But you hopped right in the pool and did it anyway. It took you 2 minutes to swim the length and no one was left in the pool, but you kept on going. You never gave up and didn't even try to flip over on your stomach. You just kept chugging along. I was so proud of you persistence and determination to finish--even when you did not like it all!
You love to learn. You always ask great questions and you want to know the hows and whys of everything. You help me learn because sometimes I don't know the answer so I need to do a little research of my own. You did great in kindergarten and learned so much.
I am also very impressed at the way you quietly listen and observe everything around you. You have a special talent for watching and sensing how other people are feeling. I think you will be a great leader, friend, father and husband because you are so perceptive of others and you will so easily sense what they need. For example (I don't know if I already wrote about this a while ago), When the duplex we were living in in Buffalo caught fire we weren't able to live in it for 2 weeks. Luckily sweet members from our ward were on vacation and let us stay in their house. One day I lost it and just started crying (silently so you wouldn't see). But then my sweet little 2 year old Joey came up and just sat next to me and rubbed my back. If you can do that at 2, I can't wait to see how that talent develops as you grow.
You are also VERY strong willed. You like to do what you want to do. You like to be in charge. Sometimes you forget that only mom and dad are the parents--you want to be in charge of Kimball :) I can see how this will be a benefit to you. You are growing up in a very morally unsafe world. I can see how that head-strong nature will help you navigate safely through the difficulties you will face as a teenager.
I have come to learn lately just how much I need you. Last April 2011 General Conference, there was a talk that was sent straight from heaven to me: What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to Be? Lynn G. Robbins
"A sweet and obedient child will enroll a father or mother only in Parenting 101. If you are blessed with a child who tests your patience to the nth degree, you will be enrolled in Parenting 505. Rather than wonder what you might have done wrong in the premortal life to be so deserving, you might consider the more challenging child a blessing and opportunity to become more godlike yourself. With which child will your patience, long-suffering, and other Christlike virtues most likely be tested, developed, and refined? Could it be possible that you need this child as much as this child needs you?"
Because you are so good at sensing people and their feelings, you have this super radar and you know when I am being impatient and maybe a little selfish. At the slightest hint of anger you become very reactive. I feel like you are my little barometer. If you are having a strong negative reaction, maybe I am not being as Christ-like as I think I am. (Now sometimes you just get upset no matter how well I am behaving, but many times you help me to see ways I need to improve how I am treating the ones dearest to me). I am so grateful you are helping me be better.
Because there are many times I just don't know what to do: how to parent you; you help me rely more on my Father in Heaven. A month or so ago I went to the temple trying to figure out how to be a better parent. I got a very strong impression of your sweet, tender, and very vulnerable heart. I got a strong warning that if I didn't hold on tightly to you that I could loose you. And then the prompting came to start rocking with you at night. So 2-3 times a week you wait quietly in bed for Kimball to fall asleep. Then you sneak out and come snuggle with me. We lay there and snuggle, I ask you about your life (which is like pulling teeth at times, but you seem to be a little more talkative at night). You always want me to tell you a story, usually something that happened to me when I was a girl, and then we sit and sing primary songs. It is such a sweet, wonderful time. I'm so glad we get to have that special time together. I love you so much and I am so glad you are my son!!!!
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2 comments:
Lindsay, that was so sweet. You are such an inspired mother, and such a good example to me. And your sweet Joey is growing so big! Thanks for sharing those thoughts. And by the way, that talk was sent for me too. :). Love you!
Mmm, that made my night--that was so sweet :)
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