Letter to Jack on your third birthday

Dear Jack-

What a big boy you’ve become my Jack-Jack! You are my first-born and my little trail-blazer. You make me so happy. I love how you like to sing and dance. I love it that you never let me get away without singing the A-B-C’s while we wash our hands. I love that you always ask for permission before doing something. How compliant you seem/pretend to be! You are my little shadow – if I can’t find you, chances are you are right behind me. I really appreciate that you stay so close, especially since your brother is so hard to keep track of. You’ve also become quite the sensitive little man; when I get frustrated about anything, your mantra is always: “No worries, Mommy” or “It’s Okay, Mommy. I got it.” If anyone strays away from the group, it’s you who scolds the straggler and reminds them “you have to stay with your family. It’s dangerous to get lost!” You have such a big heart. You are a lover of all animals – big and small – you treat bugs and horses with the same level of tenderness. You recently discovered a line of tiny ants at the playground. Before I could stop you, you were laying down on the ground, with your nose to the pavement, feeding the ants a piece of your graham crackers. When I asked you to get up, you said, “Ants are animals too Mommy! I have to take care of them!”

You are fiercely loyal and protective of your family. One of my proudest moments came the other day when we were at a new playground together and an older child started pummeling your brother (yes, a pummeling – a continuous stream of punches with no break. The most violent thing I have seen as of yet at a playground). Before your father and I could take action from where we were standing, you stepped in and pushed the boy away from Cooper. He was much bigger than you (he was about 4 or 5 years old) and he immediately re-directed his aggression and began to hit you. By the time Daddy broke up the “fight”, you had taken a little beating. What a brave boy you are Jack! I was sooooo proud to see how even in the face of anger; you put your own safety on the line and stepped in to protect your brother. I hope that you and Cooper continue to look after each other throughout your lives.
The day after the playground incident, days before your third birthday, I took you and your brother out on a rowboat on Stow Lake. Daddy, Malena, Malu and Cubby stayed on shore and off we went in the boat,  just the three adventurers.  Being the curious guys you are, you kept leaning over the side of the boat and dangling your fingers in the water. You didn’t heed my warnings about falling out and fall you did! I watched you topple right out the boat and land in the lake head-first. I dove across the boat, grabbed you by your lifejacket, and had you safely back in the boat in two seconds but you were quite upset. Understandably so! You were soaked to the bone and very scared. We hugged for a little bit and I kept telling you that you were safe, that you were wearing a lifejacket and all was well. I was so impressed at how quickly you recovered from that traumatic event. You stopped crying almost immediately and resumed singing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” before I could even get the oars back in my hands. You amaze me every day with your strength, your resilience, sensitivity, adaptability, intelligence, kindness and generosity. Your father and I consider ourselves so lucky to be your parents. We love you with all of our hearts. Keep being who you are!
Love, Mom