To My Can Man on your 4th birthday

Sometimes I sit back watching you play with your brothers and think to myself, “This kid is the most unique individual I think I’ll ever meet.”

  

It’s true… You are the greatest mix of personality the world will encounter. Your daddy and I laugh all the time at how you simply cannot just go with the flow. There’s no convincing you to leave your shirt on if you get a drop of water on it or to settle down from a major temper tantrum right before preschool every week, for any given reason.

One of my favorite things about you is the fact that you cannot keep a reward to yourself. You have it in your heart to always share with Silas whether it’s a special treat daddy gives you or a treasure prize at preschool. There are so many times you’ve asked your teacher to save an extra goody for your brother. Whenever good news is heard, you always run to tell Silas first. I love your heart!

 You are so particular about the little things in life. For example: no long pants to bed because you don’t like the feeling of them riding up when you get in bed… your socks have to be put on exactly right so that you (God forbid) don’t step on the ‘dot’ (where the stitching comes together near the front of the sock.) You find only one out of your seven sweatshirts acceptable to wear and you will only put on ‘soccer socks’ cheerfully, everything else is a battle. You cannot handle being up in front of people for any kind of group presentation… you will cry the whole time while everyone else is singing. Once you lose it, there is no retrieving any kind of sanity until you spend good quality time with your blanket (and by blanket I mean your bundle of yarn that's been loved on really, REALLY hard) in your room, by yourself.

I went to pick you up early from the children’s church today and I peeked through the little door window and our eyes met. Everyone was bouncing a beach ball up in the air, laughing and yelling... and there you were standing perfectly still just smiling your adorable sweet smile, with your head cocked to one side just gazing at me with all the love in your heart. Everyone was running circles around you and you just didn’t care. You just stayed staring and smiling for a minute or two. I’m going to hold onto that moment forever. This moment really does epitomize who you are. You don’t go with the flow, you hold your own and you don’t care who’s watching…you love your mama! Then...

and now...

 Maybe because you were so colicky and I was the only one that held you for the first few months of your life, but your love for me and my love for you is something fierce. A bond that cannot be broken.

Even at children’s church when everyone was in the middle of dancing and having a blast, you turn to me and say, “MOM! When are we getting outta here?!” LOL. You crack me up. Even when there is a fun day planned with grandma and it’s time to say goodbye to me, you always want to just stay with me. Even when bribed with all the ice cream, parks and bounce houses out there, you always want me to be there with you. Truth be told, I eat this up! Every mama needs a sweet-as-pie baby boy like you.

There are so many things I love about you, it’s impossible to pin point them all. You are my deep voiced, bug smashing, best bear-huggin', secret animal lovin’, Reeve-guardin', home lovin', Mama snugglin’, non-button down shirt wearin', use-your-fry-as-a-ketchup-spoon kind of kid. 

I know your strong-willed yet tender heart will bring you places even I can’t imagine. Your special combination of tough and kind are just what this world needs. Even though there are times I don’t know how to handle your outbursts and irrational thinking, we're growing together. God has taught me more through you than any living soul on this planet. You remind me how much I need a Savior. I thank God for you Cannon because you were designed especially for me to mother and your daddy to father. You are exactly what this world needs to be a better place. At the end of the day when you’re in bed sleeping I think about the little boy you are, your quirks, your sweet and loving ways and your determination and I am certain I wouldn’t want to change a thing about you. I’m a better Mama because of you. Here’s a hug and a kiss and a punch and a five from me to you baby. Happy 4^th birthday to my bronze-skinned, blonde haired, absolutely beautiful, handsome-as-all-get-out baby boy! I love you!!!

Love,

Mama