Happy Birthday Evan!

Dear Evan,

This has been such a big year for you! You helped us welcome your baby sister into our family, you played soccer for the first time, and you started preschool, among many others. It hasn't always been easy, learning how to share the attention, but you love Aida and you've become a great big Brother. Aida loves to watch you be silly, and you never disappoint her. You've been a huge help to Mommy and you are always willing to bring me diapers and toys for Aida.

We've also been able to see you mature through preschool. Your "progress report" was excellent. Not only have you excelled in all of the areas we knew you would, like knowing your letters, counting, and writing your name; but you've also made lots of friends and followed directions like a pro. You can even color in the lines now! And something we're especially proud of is your mastery of the monthly memory verse. Memorization seems to come easily to you, but we also work on it as a family over dinner a few nights per week. Mommy and Daddy don't memorize scripture as often as we should, so you're challenging us to improve in that area!

This year has definitely brought out your interest in making friends. You've gotten to know a few boys on our street and you are so excited when you see them out. You love riding your bike and scooter, especially on long walks with Mommy and Daddy. You're still a big fan of all things superhero, which you come by honestly because of your Dad, and playing superheroes with Daddy is probably your favorite thing to do. Some other interests include reading books, building with your Trio blocks, and of course cartoons. But possibly your favorite time of any day is snack time. You must be going through some type of growth spurt, because you could seriously eat ALL day!

We still experience our share of tantrums, but you're growing up so much and maturing so fast every day that I'm sure those days are numbered. One of the things that continues to strike me about your personality is how much you love. You love your family and the people around you with fervor, and I hope you know every day that you're loved back tenfold. Happy Birthday, Evan and thank you for changing our lives for the better 4 years ago!