Happy birthday Alex! Happy birthday Nate!

My sweet Alex,

Today you are six.





This was a huge year for you. Your dad and I were worried about how you would do being separated from Nate for the first time. On your own, you blossomed this year. We learned more about you in the last year than we have in the previous five years combined. You came out of your shell to become the boy you were always meant to be.





You are kind. You are a loyal friend. You love to make people laugh. You talk a lot. We had NO IDEA how much you loved to talk. You have learned so much self confidence in the last year and it comes out in so many ways - talking to us, reading to us, and trying to make us laugh. You do everything with a huge smile on your face. You taught us so much about being happy with the small things.






I don't know where you get your energy. This year it seemed to explode, but it wasn't just physical. You are incredibly enthusiastic about reading and sports. You claim you will be a football player when you grow up. You still wear your heart on your sleeve and your puppy dog eyes still slay me. I wish I could bottle your sweetness and sell it because I'd make a bazillion dollars. You will always be my favorite boy with brown eyes.






My sweet Nate,

Today you are six.





This was a huge year for you. Your dad and I had no worries about how you would do in kindergarten because you always do your own thing. And we were right, you blossomed this year. Everything about you in the last year has been MORE than in the previous five years combined. More and more you became the boy you were meant to be.






You are loud. You are energetic. You love to talk to people. You talk a lot. This talking is because you have so much you want to share with the world. You have learned so much self confidence in the last year and it comes out in so many ways - opinions about what you wear, what you eat, and what you read. You do everything with so much energy. You taught us so much about really diving into everything we attempt to do.






I don't know where you get your energy. This year it seemed to explode, but it wasn't just talking. You are incredibly enthusiastic about artwork.... and everything else. You burst with energy to share your thoughts about everything with everyone. And you don't care what anything thinks - you love to paint your nails and pick out your own outfits and make sure you beat everyone at everything. I wish I could bottle up your self confidence and sell it because I'd make a bazillion dollars. You will always be my favorite boy with blue eyes.







My boys, I don't think you will ever know how bittersweet it is to write these letters. I look through the photos and reminisce about our last year together. This year was complicated as we learned to navigate kindergarten, and it is amazing to see how much you have grown. It was a big transition to go from being together all day to spending the day apart but that time apart had such a positive impact on your relationship.






As the year went on, we found you enjoying your time together much more.You get along for longer periods of time now, and I love to hear the elaborate games you make up. Your fights are also so much more EPIC because you have turned into very independent boys with strong opinions. Life is never boring with two big personalities in the house.






While you have always been your own selves, I feel like this is the year where you really started to understand who you are. And with that understanding, your relationship has changed, much more for the positive. Neither one of you backs down to the other. Both of you are confident and happy in who you are, even when you are not like your brother.






This journey is going by quickly, too quickly We're now one-third of the way until you leave home. And this year? It marked many new beginnings for our family. I am impressed at the grace with which you have dealt with these changes, and I am so happy these changes have brought you closer together. It was again, a wonderful year for the Case family, a year filled with insane amounts of laughter and love. We are so blessed to have your in our life.







Happy birthday Alex.
Happy birthday Nate.
Thank you for six of the best years of my life.

I love you,
Mom

5th year letter
4th year letter
3rd year letter
2nd year letter
1st year letter