Cinco de Matty #6

Matthew,

You turned six on Friday and we partied the entire weekend. I hope you look back at your 6th birthday and can appreciate how extremely lucky you are to have had your whole family together - the five of us plus your four grandparents. Now that all of my grandparents are gone, I am acutely aware of how special it is that your grandparents are around and in good health!

We started your birthday weekend by watching videos of you as a baby/toddler on Thursday night. How I love when you snuggle up to me and get emotional as you watch how much you've grown in a few short years. Just think of how emotional it makes me to see pictures of you in my belly. Now, I can barely pick you up! We enjoyed watching these sweet videos of you on the eve of your 6th birthday. SIX. Wow - I am not prepared to be the momma of a six-year old son. I know I will blink and we'll be celebrating your 12th birthday, just like I blinked and you went from a three-year old to a six-year old. Evidence below:

Friday morning, you woke up to streamers, balloons, donuts, cards and presents. Your sister and brother were very loving to you and were so proud to give you their gifts. Brayden gave you a Pikachu stuffed animal and Taylor gave you a watch. You opened other presents from me and Daddy (a new bat, magna tiles, BC t-shirt, baseball pants), and Mimi and Baba (a game, new sneakers, baseball cards), and then you were off to school in your new sneakers, new watch, and new shirt. Since we are not allowed to send cupcakes in to school on your birthday, I tried to make up for it by bringing Chipotle to you for lunch. You love Chipotle's "make your own tacos" meal and still enjoy sitting with me in the lunchroom. After you got off the bus, you played with some neighbors until we left for Math Adventure at your school. Math Adventure was from 5:30-8:30, so we came home and promptly got you to bed. And this was just the start of your birthday celebration!

Birthday snuggles with your siblings

Look at you two!

Donuts with baseballs in the middle - what more could you ask for?

Lunch date with the birthday boy.

Sorting your new baseball cards before Math Adventure

The birthday boy and his Math Adventure team - Matty, Lucas, Keller & Nathan

Saturday morning, you had a baseball game at 10:00 (following Taylor's softball game at 9:00) where you had your first hit! It was amazing and so perfect that you did this on such a special day/weekend. After your game, we rushed home and quickly turned around for your baseball-themed birthday party at Lake Boren Park. Probably the very best part about the weekend was that the sun was out! Hallelujah! We rented the picnic shelter at the park, fully anticipating a cold, rainy weekend. Boy, did we luck out! It made my heart smile to watch you and 10+ friends running around the park, playing baseball and having a great time. We served hot dogs, chips, fruit, veggies, crackers and cheese at the party, and of course we had a baseball pinata and a sports' themed cake!

Baseball at the Park

Matty had first dibs on the baseball pinata.

Several of the girls took a turn. Above is Matty's best girl friend (and only girl at the party that was not there as guest of a sibling), Braelyn.

... and the pinata comes down!

Time for cake

Matty and his buddies.

After the party, we returned home and watched you open gifts from Gigi, Grandma and Pop Pop. Mariners t-shirts, jerseys, and baseballs abounded!

We ended the day at Tapatio with Mimi, Baba, Grandma, and Pop Pop. The entire staff came out with a sombrero and a special birthday song for you, and needless to say, it was a fabulous day. You ended the day by snuggling with Mimi (poor Baba was kicked out of his room). I hope you will always look back on this special day and smile.

Father and son!

But wait! There is more! You had a soccer game today, followed by more baseball with the neighbors. We ended the weekend by watching you open all the wonderful gifts that your friends brought to your party. You are blessed beyond measure! Phew - I am tired from writing all of this.

Your cheering squad at your soccer game.

Team picture

Here are a few things to note about my sweet six-year old:

• Your favorite color is now red.
• Your best friend is still Lucas Park. Other close friends include Nathan Piha, Keller Brown, Finn O'Donoghue, Vincent Gilmore.
• You still want to be a baseball player when you grow up.
• Your favorite food is tacos. You hate syrup, jelly, cheese, and bread. Making your lunch for school is a chore because you are so picky about foods.
• Your favorite show? Anything baseball-related. If there is not a MLB game on live television, then you go the MLB app on our Apple TV and watch highlights of previous MLB games. 
• You are getting more of an attitude - I have had more trouble with you lately than before (you mouth off to me or test my patience), but you still give me sweet kisses and hold my hand.
• Your teachers compliment your attention span at school and tell me you are a great kid. I, of course, agree, but it is a great affirmation to hear teachers/parent volunteers confirm this.
• You have a sweet little friendship with Braelyn Bowers, an adorable, curly red-head in your kindergarten class. I am friends with Braelyn's mom, and we love this little connection. Braelyn was the ONLY girl that came to your party yesterday, and she played baseball with you and all the boys. Love her for that!
• You absolutely adore your daddy. Your world revolves around him. The two of you have an extremely special bond. I love watching the two of you talk about sports. You are definitely filling a void in Tommy's life that I could never fill. Your sports knowledge is already leaps and bounds ahead of mine.
• Your fingernails and toenails grow ridiculously fast. Seriously. It seems like I have to cut them every other day.
• Speaking of fingernails, you inherited your Grandma's bad skin. Your hands feel like sandpaper in the winter - they are cracked and red and sometimes bleed. Most nights before bed, I lather your cute little hands in Aquaphor to keep them hydrated.
• Even though you had your tonsils and adenoids out when you were three, you still sound nasally when you talk. I wish I could put something up your nose to clear all of the congestion out!
• You have not lost any teeth yet. Several of your friends have lost baby teeth, but I am not sure any of yours are even loose! This is okay with me. I am not ready for you to lose any teeth.
• You are learning to read and doing really well. You love to read books by yourself before bed, but sometime it can be painful to listen to you sound out every word. :) 
• Your math skills are still remarkable!
• You love to play "wall ball" and basketball at recess.
• You are ALL BOY. Your preferred "uniform" for school is sports shorts, a t-shirt, and a ball cap. I miss the days when I could dress you in jeans and a cute button down shirt, but that is no longer an option.
• Your heart is super sensitive. 
• You have a strong moral compass and feel bad/guilty about things that you could have easily gotten away with. I, of course, appreciate your honesty when you do something that you shouldn't have.
• You love God but do not enjoy going to church. Many Sunday mornings, you skip your Sunday School class and opt to sit in the church service with us. I need to figure out a way to get you more involved with children in your Sunday School class.
• You are respectful to all adults in your life. I am constantly complimented on your sweet demeanor.

Matty-Boy, I could go on and on. You are more than I could ever ask for in a son, and I am so proud to call you mine. You have brought so much joy to my life in these past six years. Will you please stop growing up on me? I love your snuggles, your kisses, your soul and your heart.

I love you to infinity and beyond,
Mommy