Dear Emmi,

This last week you turned 6.  It still feels like yesterday that I found out I was finally getting a baby girl, and I was over the moon!  I was starting to worry that I would never get one.  Your Dad always wanted a daughter too, and I think he was hoping your big brothers were girls.  We wouldn't trade them of course, but it just shows how much we really wanted you in our family and how happy we were that day.  Your Dad is the one who named you too.  We had some friends just after we were married and living in Cedar City that had the cutest little baby girl named Emmy.  After that, he wanted an Emmi too.  I think your name fits you perfectly.

You are just finishing up Kindergarten, and are quite the little social bee.  All I hear from Mrs. McFarland is that she sees "the back of your cute curlies" quite a bit.  You love to talk to friends and have many in your class.  You did struggle a little bit with your reading at the beginning of the year and you had me and Dad worried.  However, it clicked about halfway through the year, and I am amazed at all the words you know.  You also got your Dad's and big brother Keaton's math gene too, and have surprised your teacher at how well you are picking up addition.

Like I said, you are a little social bee.  You are blessed to have 2 friends live super close, Mary across the street and and Rylee next door.  Every day after lunch, even before I am finished eating you say, "Bye Mom, I am going to Mary's!"  I have had to start to cut back on days you can play with friends because you would play every day if I let you, and while I work in the next room, you make a huge mess.  I am glad you play so well with friends though, and I love listening to you and the girls play dolls in your little voices.

For your birthday, you wanted an "American Girl" doll, but really what you wanted a Target doll, and I was very excited to buy one for you.  I always wanted an American Girl doll when I was a little girl.  You had to go to school on your birthday and I let you play with friends after lunch.  Later that night we celebrated both you and Jack's birthday at the Brick Oven.

Then, just yesterday, we had your first friend birthday party, a little "tea" party for girls in the neighborhood.  We had your Capri Sun "tea, little heart sandwiches, played Bingo, had a scavenger hunt, and a few other games.  I think it was a success.

Emmi, you are my little sweetheart and like I said, I am so grateful to have you as a daughter.

Love, 
Mom

Dear Keaton,

Me and Jack had so much fun watching you at the Hershey Track Meet.  I admired your enthusiasm to run and participate, and I never heard you complaining once.   Even though you did not make the finals in any of your events, you had fun and I could tell that you truly tried your best.

Last week, we started a new thing at our house where you get to help me make dinner one night a week, and rotate with Sam and Emmi.  You got to do it first, and cooked us spaghetti, which we were all very impressed by.  I thought it would be more work for me than it would for you, and that I would be frustrated some time during it, but I wasn't.  You were so excited about it, which makes me happy.  I want all my kids to be good cooks before they leave home; It will help you so much in life. Of course, you didn't say much as we were working together in the kitchen, much like I hear from your school and piano teachers.  You have always been more quiet and reserved, and are continuing to be so.  I love to hear your cute laugh when your brothers and sister get you going, though.  When you do get hyper, you are a hard one to calm down.

Again, this year, you got Student-of-the-Month the very first month, and I even received a call from your teacher, Mrs. Ray,  just to tell me how much she appreciates you in her class.  Honestly, this did not surprise me at all, being the boy that you are.    

Just this morning I had the privilege of starting my fast with you.  I am so happy that for right now, you do this willingly, and actually remind me.  It is so special to kneel with you beside my bed, to ask you what you want to fast for, and then have me say the prayer.  I always feel the spirit so strong in our prayers together, and I can help but shed a few tears in that moment.  I am so grateful for the opportunity to fast with you, and feel of your sweet spirit.

I have to document that your new favorite food is BBQ ribs.  Your dad and I bought them on a whim since you and your brother love to eat chicken off the bone, we thought you might like these.  Sure enough, now you ask for them every week.  You still make us smile with your messy face after eating, whatever it be.  Sometimes, you come home from school with some sauce (I am guessing BBQ), smeared over one cheek, that must have been there from lunch.  Me and your dad get a kick out of it.  We love you so much Keaton, and are so proud of you. 

Love, Mom

Dear Jack,

You are definitely earning your name as a 2-year-old.  You have mastered the pout, and have started mastering temper tantrums if I have to tell you "no."  Too bad your pout does nothing but make me smile.  You are just too darn cute.  You are everybody's favorite in our little family, and I think you know it.

You are my little buddy and shadow.  After the boys leave for the bus and we drop Emmi off at school in the morning, you love to go downstairs and exercise with me.  (That is, you watching Netflix on my old phone while I workout).  You are so content to play beside me when I start to work on the computer, or again, watch Netlix or play games on your daddy's Ipad.  You love building with blocks. And you are crazy about your animal puzzles.  If you are not building with blocks, puzzles, or other toys, you like to line them all out in a row side by side, just like you did with my little candle testers on the counter.  

You are a smart little thing, and now quite a few colors, numbers and letters. You do occasionally cause mischief while I work, and can scarily now open doors and go outside if I am not watching you.  You love peanut butter like your big brother Keaton, and I have caught you on more than one occasion spreading peanut butter on top of a granola bar and eating it like you have seen him do.  You get yourself a snack and even drink on your own most days, and you ask for "noodles" or Ramen every day for lunch.

Your favorite activity would be going outside, either out on the swings or riding your little bike in the front.  It kills me how fast you can fall asleep though, if your siblings are not around to play with.  You will be asleep and snoring within 2 minutes and in the funniest places.  You haven't taken a regular nap for me since the fall, but seem to need one some days.  That is fine with me, for at least I know you are not causing trouble.  

I love how you come in my bed in the mornings, and put your little arms around my neck.  Sometimes you fall asleep again in that postion, with your hot breath on my neck.  I get to cuddle you for those last few minutes before I have to get up and get the big kids ready for school.  Every day when I am holding you, I always remind myself that this will not last, and soon you will be so big, so I try to memorize how you feel sleeping beside me, your sweet kisses and little voice.  I wish I could keep you this age forever. I just love you so much.

Love, Mom

 

Dear Sam,

I was so proud to be your mama today and be there for your baptism.  You looked so handsome in your little white jumpsuit.  I could tell you were very excited and maybe a little bit nervous too.  

I hope you will always remember this day, as I have looked back fondly on mine.  I hope you will remember the love that you felt from all of our family, and even dear friends who came to support you.  I hope you also felt the Holy Spirit during the baptism and confirmation.  I know this church is true, and I hope that you will find that out as well.

It was a wonderful service, Grandpa Hunsaker doing such a great job on the Holy Ghost talk, and Grandpa B saying the opening prayer.  You also got baptized with Cameron Carroll and Trinity Fredericks from our ward.  Afterwards, we went back to the house for pizza and lots of other fun food, enjoying family and playing with cousins.  

You are also officially a cub scout now, and want to work in book every night.  That is something that I love about you, how much you love to learn and try new things.  You do the same thing with your homework too.  Your enthusiam for everything is contagious, and our family would truly be dull without you.  I love you Sam.

Love, Mom 

Changing It Up

Since the day my children were born, I have kept a journal for each of them.  I have written the stories of their births, time in the hospital, first days home, and in some, even of pregnancy.  After that, every few months or so, Chad and I would get the journals out and write in each of them.  We each would take a page or more and say what they were doing at that age, what made us laugh and made us proud.  As the years have gone by and have now increased to 4 journals, our writing has been less and less. I wish it wasn't so, but it has.  

Lately, my blogging frequency is also getting low, and I realized what I need to do.  I am going to start using the blog as their journals, in hopes of doing a little bit better job.  A journal with pictures! What could be better than that?  

I am planning on addressing each post to one of my children, or in some cases, to all of them, which is what will be different.  I am excited to see how it all comes about.  I would still welcome any notes and comments that you might wish to send me!

Easter Weekend

Saturday before Easter, left our house early to make it for the BYU spring game.  Oh, it was good to see the players on the field again!  Too bad we still have quite a few months before we get to come back for real.

We ran into some other diehards, some of our Hunsaker family.  We missed the rest of the crew.

Then we headed up to Bountiful to dye eggs, have an egg hunt and have dinner.  We were THRILLED to finally have all 3 Koellikers in attendance.  We have missed them this winter.  Eddie handled the noise and chaos like a champ too!

Of course we had to invite GiGi too.  We love her.

Easter Sunday was doubly special at our house because it was also Chad's birthday.  We tried to spoil him, but I don't know if we did as much as he really deserves.  He is such a good husband and father, and very hands on.  I don't know how I could run the household without him.  The kids kind of like him too.;)  

The Easter bunny brought some new duds for the kids, including a new white shirt, suit pants, and ties for Sam in preparation for his baptism.  Aren't they cute?

After church, we were invited to the Hunsaker's for a yummy turkey dinner with all the fixings.  The kids got yet another egg hunt and plenty of playing time with cousins.  (Sorry, I was too lazy to take any pictures of the Hunsaker egg hunt, but it was pretty fun.)  It was a wonderful weekend.We are so glad spring is here!