My SIX Year Old

Dear Brian,

You are SIX!  What an exciting age!  You are READING and loosing teeth!  You are sooooo into Legos and art and it's so much fun to see what you create.  You talk...a lot.  We have worked hard on that, so I try to be thankful.  You ask a million questions all day long.  You want to learn EVERYTHING there is to learn.

This year you have chosen to have a Toy Story birthday party and you are so excited!  You made sure Lauren knew that your cake should NOT touch your sister's cake like in past years.  You had a great time picking out party supplies the other day!  Daddy tells you all the time that you are management material :)

This morning when you found your birthday decorations, you were so excited!  You haven't stopped checking your new Lego watch all day...trying to figure it out.  I love it!

You have had a big year.  You finished Kindergarten (and did a wonderful job by the way)!  Next year you'll be back at Ryland with your preschool teacher in 1st grade!  Time flies at lightning speed that's for sure.

You have been released by the developmental pediatrician!  She just shook her said and grinned when she saw you and heard about all of your progress.  YOU are already a success story at the age of SIX.  That's something to be super proud of!

This next year I wish many things for you.  I hope that you continue to make new friends and develop the great relationships you already have with your buddies.  I hope that you will continue to improve in speech.  You work so hard and have made great progress!  I hope you will continue to love school and learning and reading.  It's awesome how much pride you take in this area!  I hope you will continue to be proud of who you are because you are just amazing!  Finally, I hope you will continue to be THE BEST big brother there could ever be.  Your sister can be such a little snot sometimes and you just love, love, love her.   

When you were a baby and were first diagnosed with hearing loss, I always said I wished I had a crystal ball that would show me the future and would show me you'd be okay.  I still wish that I had, but I'm not sure that a crystal ball would have even done you justice.  You have exceeded expectations, broken through barriers and overcome.  We are so, so proud of you and we love you so, so much!

Happy 6th Birthday, Brian!
Love, Mommy

Photo courtesy of Cynthia Shoettker Photography :)

The Rest of Our Beach Week

Wednesday after the beach, we decided to take the Mobile Bay Ferry across the gulf and back.  We were hoping to see dolphins and we thought the kids would enjoy the ride.  The kids were a little too worn out to really enjoy it, but Shawn and I did see some dolphins in the distance.  Brian may have seen them, but I am pretty sure Lilah did not. 

Yesterday we got a beach day with Whitney!  The kids were so excited!  Me too! 

Today was our last day at the beach.  It was also 1000% the best beach day ever!  Shortly after we arrived Lilah and I caught a glimpse of a baby stingray near the shoreline!  We got Shawn and Brian's attention and we all followed it down the shore for about 10 minutes.  So cool!

Then not 10 minutes later a group of teenagers started screaming like crazy people about 100 feet from where we were swimming.  They had spotted dolphins!  There were 3-5 of them chasing fish about 100 feet from us!  We watched them for a good 10 minutes.  It was sooooo cool!

We were all sad to say goodbye to the beach for another year, but we're also pretty worn out!  We'll be heading north tomorrow.  We'll miss the ocean and the YUMMY seafood and of course, Whitney! 

She's smizing :)

This boy will be SIX on Tuesday!

I was getting worried about her scalp burning and she agreed to wear a hat, but ONLY if it came from Whitney's work.  They didn't have any, but we found one elsewhere and Whitney convinced her she found it at her work.  Whew!

Sandy butt!

He's peeing in the ocean.  He didn't quite understand that he didn't need to show everyone the goods!

More Beach Time and Visiting Whitney's Work!

We had more fun at the beach the last two days.  The kids are not afraid of the water and Brian ventures further and further out each day.  Often we have to call him back in because he's TOO far out!  Lilah wants to hold my hand most of the time in the water, but she's also ventured out pretty far in her Daddy's arms.

We also go to visit the Dauphin Island Estuarim which was totally awesome!  Since Whitney works at the Sea Lab she gave us the personal tour!  We even got to see the plaques her friends here purchased in memory of Opa and Donna and a sea turtle nest!  The kids had a blast seeing and touching all the marine life and Whitney was totally in her element!!  It was fun to watch the three of them together.  Whitney isn't that much younger than me, but I did watch her grow up and in a way, she's still little to me...not sure she realizes that.

First, beach pics from yesterday!

I'm the king of the world!

Not sure what the angry face is about. 

This kid cannot get enough of the waves!

 

And the Estuarium...

Lilah kept kissing the fish tank!

Brian is apparently a parseltongue.

Checking out the bottom of a horseshoe crab!

Today before we hit the beach!

 

Beach Pics...Day 1

We made it to Dauphin Island!  It was a looonnnnngggg trip, but the kids did so well!  We stopped halfway and stayed in a hotel, which worked out well. 

The kids LOVE the beach and were so excited to get here.  As a MAJOR bonus, Whitney lives here, so we get to spend time with her too! 

Here are some pics we got today at the beach...

Memorial Day Fun

Last year we began the tradition of attending the Memorial Day parade in Florence.  It's a great parade and the kids really enjoy it.  It's a fun way to kick off the summer!  I just love seeing the kids in their patriotic outfits waving their flags!  Lilah really got into the candy collecting this year.  She's feisty, that one!

After the parade we were lucky to spend some time with our great friends from high school/college.  It was a great day!

I sent this picture to Brian's music teacher.  Because of her he knows the names of most of the instruments in a marching band and he was mesmerized by it!