Oh, my Ethan. You are eleven! Last night we sat and talked about what happened the day before you were born and the events leading up to your birth. It was quite the whirlwind of events. I had no idea what motherhood would bring me then. It has turned out to be the best part of my life.
When you were four Dad and I would think about how when you were 12 you would be old enough to babysit. Around your ninth birthday we mourned a little bit because we thought you would never be "mature" enough to babysit. By the time you were 10 we couldn't believe how much you had changed and grown up! We started leaving you at home by yourself or with Logan while I went to the store. While the pandemic was going on I was trying to sell the second of a set of townhomes we built and I had to meet up with potential buyers during the day. I would leave you home while Cohen napped and you older three watched a movie and you did such a good job! This spring Dad and I went on a couple of dates out to dinner while you stayed home in charge of the other three kids and watched a movie. It was so fun to know you were responsible enough to handle watching everyone.
This winter and spring you saw a therapist about 10-12 times and he helped you work on some things you were having trouble with. I know school is long and tedious for you and it wears down on you. Clara also has had a rough year where she has been nearly constantly on steroids and she has been a bear to live with. These things transferred over to you in ways that were making it hard for you to be your best self. You are doing so great now though. I am proud of you.
Now you are 11. Each year you have grown up so much, I am excited to see how much you change and learn this year.
You have so many strengths Ethan. You are quick to understand anything mechanical. We went to the Kaltschmidt's house last year and they had a bike that was broken. You fixed it in minutes and Shanna was so impressed, her husband Eric hadn't been able to figure out what was wrong but you took care of it like it was nothing. Dad's bike got a flat tire and I needed it fixed this past week. Dad was out of town and I knew I would need your help (I've always been afraid of changing a back tire). You helped me get the tire off, found the hole, showed me how to check the tire for the cause of the hole and we found the tire had a huge crack in it. We have an extra bike that we took the tire off of and you manhandled both tires so expertly. You knew where to be rough on it and you popped the tire on better and faster than I was doing! You love following Dad around and tinkering with him and you remember everything. You have impressed me so many times with your knowledge of where things are or how to do things when Dad is gone and I need help. You really are turning into a young man.
You are a goer. You don't like to sit around. You have energy to burn and you need to be moving. Dad said last year at the father-son campout you ran with friends for hours. Around midnight the boys started to calm down and you went to sit on his lap and looked like you were falling asleep-but then some boys ran past and you saw them and off you were again, playing for a few more hours until Dad made you go to bed! Dad said it was like you put in a second set of batteries! A few weeks ago you were out playing until 9:00PM at Lucas Sherrill's. Katie texted at around that time asking if you could just stay the night. You stayed up and played for awhile yet and stayed over. Then you and Lucas came back to our house and we went mountain biking in the morning. When that was over we went to Nana's to get the littles and played there a bit. After Lucas went home you were raring to go still and wanted more friends to come over! Everybody else needed down time and you were ready for more fun and excitement!
You are such a good helper. You are getting better at being thorough in your chores. You know how Dad likes things put away and done in the yard and you can take care of so many things. You treat Logan like a peer and don't have a ton of extra patience for him (but you guys have become such good friends over the past two years) but you can be so sweet to Clara and especially Cohen. Cohen adores you and wants to be with you all the time.
You have faith in the gospel. You aren't a big talker so I don't always know what is going on in your brain but when you share about the gospel you are very matter of fact and you clearly have faith. For years you have said you would never serve a mission because you didn't want to miss out on what was going on at home. During this past year we have made an effort to share about our missions more and several young men who you admire have gone on or are planning on going on missions during the last year and during this last year you started saying "if" I go on a mission. Just a few weeks ago you said "when I go, you know, if I do". It has been a neat little transformation to watch. We would never force you to go and if you decide not to we will understand, but we just didn't want you making that decision as a 9 year old self.
You always have plenty of things to do with Dad. Dirt biking, yard work, garage work and tinkering. But you and I don't always have a lot to do together. Last summer we started mountain biking together and it was so fun! You would chat with me in the car on the drives to and from and it was the closest I have felt to you in awhile. Dad and I also read Harry Potter to you guys this winter and you would snuggle up to me to listen every night and I LOVED it. I am so glad you are still wanting to sit with me and I will take advantage as long as it lasts.
Thanks for being such a good kid. Dad and I aren't perfect, and we are making a lot of our parenting mistakes on you since you are our first to go through so many experiences. We are sorry about that. We appreciate how resilient you are and we hope that you can keep growing into the awesome young man that you are despite our mistakes.
We love you so much. We are so grateful for the energy and drive you bring into our house. Thank you for being who you are.
Love, Mom
No comments:
Post a Comment