Letters to my kids – Andrew

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Jackie

Did I throw you off by posting this on Monday instead of Friday? Or was it because I haven’t written a letter in a while and finally got around to writing another? Oh wait… have you not seen this series before?

Well, if you haven’t seen it before I’ll give you a bit of a recap. This is a little meme that I started a while ago where I’d write a letter to one of my kids about something, anything, or nothing at all. It could be something that I’ve always wanted to say but couldn’t find the words or to share how proud I am of something they just did, or how they’ve done something to frustrate me to no ends. The fun part is that anyone can join in and write a letter to their kid, sister, brother, niece, nephew, or grandkids. So if you’re not sure what to write about this week draft a little letter and link up at the bottom of this post!

Dear Andrew,

You’re #4. The only boy and the baby of the family. Now, this doesn’t mean that you get away with everything all of the time… okay, okay… you do once in a while but that’s about it.

What’s really bothering me is nothing to do with what you get away with and what you don’t. It’s more that I feel like I’ve let you down somehow. You see, when your sisters were little I was home with them a lot more than I am with you and was able to spend time with them teaching them letters, numbers, colors, shapes, and all the fun preschool things that we should be doing.

I feel like you’re behind but maybe I’m just comparing you to where they were and really that’s not fair. Boys and girls are totally different creatures and learn, grown, and develop at different rates. This I know… everyone knows that. Maybe you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be and I shouldn’t worry.

You really didn’t have much of an interest in reading with me (or anyone) until recently and even now one book is about all we get through unless it’s a rare night and we actually read more and you’ve picked out the books we’re reading (always Green Eggs & Ham). I wish that you understood how important reading is and that it can be so much fun… probably more fun than playing cars or tractors! Am I stretching it a bit there?

I feel that you should be able to say the alphabet and count to 10 or 20… and once in a while, when you really want to you will count for me. I want you to start school ahead of the game and be the star of the class. I want you to be the one helping other kids with their school work and to be the one that the teacher gives extra work to so you stay busy.

My guess… my hope is that you’re just too busy doing all the fun things that little boys like to do and all of a sudden you’ll catch on and surprise us all. I’m sure that you will because the things that you pick up on amaze me daily!

I just hope that I haven’t let you down by not being home with you more, Andrew. I hope that you know how much I love you and want the best for you always.

Love,

Mom

I’d love for you to join in on the fun!

Letters to my Kids – Dear Lauren

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Jackie

Welcome back to the third installment of Letters to my Kids! I hope that you’re enjoying the series and are thinking of joining me… it’s easy… just write a letter to a special kid in your life and link up bi-weekly.

Dear Lauren,

Oh… Lauren, what can I say? Well, usually not much because you rarely ever stop talking so I can have a turn! You were one of those kids who didn’t have a first word… instead you had a first sentence and ever since then you haven’t stopped talking. Of course you know all this and it’s been a running joke for as long as I can remember that you didn’t have a first word… a sentence instead.

I remember when I was little that I didn’t know what adults found to talk about all the time. They were always talking and I just sat there and said nothing because there was nothing worth saying in my mind. You on the other hand always have something to say and you do it with flair and detail.

Every story that you tell, every situation from school you share, or event you were at you explain to us in complete detail. So much detail that it’s just as good as being there if not better. Yes, I’ll admit that it can get annoying after a while but that’s who you are, Talkative Lauren, and I don’t know what we’d do if you were any different.

But you’re so much more than a talkative little girl. You’re smart, open, honest, loving, and no matter what you would do anything for your siblings and friends. You have such a large heart and always make room for anyone who comes into your life and that is such a wonderful trait to have. I hope that life and the people that you come across always treat you with love and respect so that you don’t lose that love & openness for everyone. I hope that you never become jaded by the acts of a few and forget that are so many more lovely people out there in the world that would love to have a friend like you.

Remember that you hold a special place in my heart and always will no matter what.

I love you,

Mom

Letters to my Kids – Dear Natalie

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Jackie

Welcome back to another Letters to my Kids week! I started this meme a couple of weeks ago and I’m happy to say that a couple people actually linked up! I hope that this week brings a few more people joining in and that it continues to grow.

Don’t forget it’s a bi-weekly meme and you can link up anytime!

Dear Natalie,

You’re my middle one… my quiet one… my artistic one and at one point your were my only blond haired, blue eyed little child. Now you share that blond hair with your younger brother.

I’ve watched you grow over these years from a very quiet little girl to someone who is very independent. Someone who knows exactly what they want and at the young age of 13 know what college they want to go to. Of course, I still hope that you will take a few minutes and look at a some other school… just sayin’

You have this unique sense of style and will wear things that not a single friend would wear. Thrift shopping is your thing (thank you) and I think that it’s kinda funny when I go without you and you get upset about it!

What I love about you is that special uniqueness. I love that you we will wear whatever you want and not care what other people think or say. I love that you put so much time and effort into your art and that it’s something that you really like to do.

Natalie then… with George.

There are so many times that I look at you and wonder what happened… how did the time go by so quickly? How did you go from my little girl who carried around her stuffed kitty, George, every single place we went to a beautiful young woman? What I wouldn’t give for a little more time with my little girl because time is going by far to quickly for me.

Natalie now…

I’m proud of all you have done, all you’ve become, and I love you more than I can explain.

I love you,

Mom

Letters to my Kids – Dear Caitlin

Posted on March 1, 2013 by Jackie

Welcome to the first Letters to my Kids link up. I hope that you will join me in this new bi-weekly meme about well… letters to my kids. There is always so much to say to our kids and sometimes it’s easier to write it out. It’s a great way to vent, create memories to share later, talk to your child in a way that you can’t do in person, or maybe share something that they might not understand now but will later. Whatever the reason I hope that you’ll be inspired to write whether you’re a mom, sister, aunt, grandma, or just someone who has a child in their life that they want to share a letter with.

Dear Caitlin,

I decided to start this series with you because you’re my oldest. My first baby… the one that I learned on as I went along on this journey called motherhood. When they handed you to me my life changed in so many ways and I knew that being a mom was what I was supposed to do.

First and foremost, I want you to know that I love you more than you’ll ever know. You will always hold a special place in my heart as will your sisters and brothers. Yes, I meant that to be plural because at one point Danny was mine and circumstances changed that.

Sometimes it’s hard to talk to you and I so want to be your friend as well as your mom. I know that some say you can’t do that but I think it’s possible. I want to be there for you when you need someone to talk to, someone to vent to, someone to laugh with, and someone to just listen when things aren’t going right.

Maybe it’s because we alike in so many ways… scary, huh? But I see it in the things you do or say once in awhile and it’s then that I realize why we don’t always get along.

I will also admit that I’m not that easy to get along with… I’m not sure why this is. I guess it’s just the way I am. I can be cranky I suppose and that is the result of stress which I don’t mean to take out on you. For that I apologize deeply.

I also know what it’s like to be a teen and talking with your parents isn’t always at the top of your list of things to do. You have to believe me when I say that I’ve been there and that I understand. Probably a lot more than you realize.

Caitlin, I want you to know that I am very proud of you and all that you’ve done. You’ve worked so hard and I know because of that you will succeed at anything that you put your mind to.

I have much more to share with you but I’ll save it for another letter or two.

I love you,

Mom

Another meme…. Letters to my Kids

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Jackie

I had this great idea out of the blue yesterday and before I went ahead and implemented it I posed the question to Facebook. Yes… Facebook. You would have done the same thing too, right? I needed to make sure that it wasn’t off the wall or something like that and what I found out was that it’s a pretty good idea.

Another meme. I know.. it’s just what the blog world needs… another meme. But I wanted to write a series of posts called Letters to my Kids and I thought that maybe some of my friends would like to join in on the fun.

The majority of us have kids, want kids, have nieces nephews, or are even grandparents and we all have things that we want to say to our kids or wish that we could. Often the trouble is that we don’t know how to say it best or maybe our kids are to young to understand what we’re saying. I know that this is the case with me.

Teens are hard to talk to and toddlers are even more so. Honestly, neither one of them really listen or often care what we’re saying to them half the time and as writers there is so much more that we could say in a letter. There is so much good, some bad, many hopes, dreams, and expressions of love…anger…and so much more.

I would love it if you shared your letters every other Friday with me in this new meme. I think that it’ll be a lot of fun and there is much to be learned along the way about ourselves, our kids, and life in general.

I’ll post the button and the code over there on the right in the side bar and have the linky open at 6am when the first post goes live next week. I can’t wait to read your letters!

You’re joining me… aren’t you?