Beautiful birthday wishes for my four year old!!

My dear Maya,

We are now a few days past your birthday, but life has been so busy that I haven't had a chance to write your letter.  We had your birthday party on a Sunday, then I flew to Chicago that Monday, came home, celebrated your actual birthday that Thursday, then flew out to Boston the next Monday. Busy, but wonderful.  Wonderful because now I'm home, and I'm with you and Ethan, and as your mom there is really no other place I'd rather be.

It's amazing to think that you are 4 years old.  Not because it has gone by fast, because it has, but I also feel like I remember you at each age so well, so I don't feel like I missed out on anything.  To me the beautiful thing about you growing up is really watching you grow.  I look at how you see the world, how you think hard, and how you try to figure it out.  It impresses me every day.  I give you so much credit - I think you are going to do wonderful things - whether for the world, for a company, for your family, or for yourself.  Or maybe for all.

If I think back to how you were when you turned 3 to how you are now... wow.  You can now write your name so well, and are starting to figure this reading thing out.  It's wonderful and exciting!  You love to color/paint, and have a real passion for it.  I see you figuring numbers out -- how much more is grandma's age to sapta's age (a conversation we just had in your room as I was putting you to bed tonight!).  Math skills, reading skills -- it's so fun to see your brain click and learn and want to understand.  Yay for that!

You have a wonderful heart and you love your brother so much.  I see the way you look out for him.  Sometimes you are also quite tough on him too!  But that is the tricky part of having a sibling.  You bit his cheek the other day - oy vey - broke skin and everything!  Daddy and I were not the least bit happy with you and you cried for a solid hour, long after Ethan had said that he was fine and it didn't hurt anymore.  I know it scared you -- realizing that when you act out in frustration sometimes you do things that you regret... wishing you could make it go away... but seeing that you can't.  I hope that while these lessons are painful, you learn from them.  Much easier to learn from biting your brother's cheek than god knows how many other more serious things...

I always feel it is really special how you are always looking out for Ethan - making sure he gets a toy that he likes, or a candy that he likes.  If he really wants one of your toys 9 times out of 10 you give it to him - even if you really want it.  I don't take that for granted at all.  It shows that you have a kind, generous, loving heart.

You are a fun, active, quick on your feet girl.  You aren't boring in the least.  I see how the kids at school like you and want to hang with you and I love that!  Go and shine and I am here in your corner cheering you on.

Happy birthday my beautiful Maya-le.  You are my heart's sunshine and I love you so very much, every single day.

Lots of love,
Mommy

Dear Ethan

My sweet boy.  Here we are, on the day before your 2nd birthday.  It's so amazing that two years has gone by.  Two years since your beautiful spirit entered the world.  Since your gorgeous blue eyes, dimple chin, and heart of gold became a luxury I could enjoy and appreciate every day.  I am so lucky to have you.

You really are an incredible kid.  You are the sweetest, most loving little guy I know.  This is your personality and your biggest blessing.  How lucky you are that you were born this way.  As your mama I think about these things all the time -- what it will take for you to have success and happiness in your life.  So many things contribute to that, but what might be the most important is a good personality.  And at 2 years old, you have this category checked off.  What a beautiful blessing!

You are wonderfully friendly.  You say "hi" with a wave and a big smile.  But it's really to people who you know and like, so it's not to just anybody.  When people leave, you say bye with emotion and depth.  I love this about you! It's special and such a nice quality to have.

You love to laugh.  You are a happy boy.  It's easy to make you happy and you exude happiness so it feels good from every perspective.  You find joy in almost everything we do.

You have such a good heart.  For the most part, you always say sorry if you hurt someone.  You say please and thank you, many times unprompted.  It's pretty amazing for such a little guy!

And how could I forget.  You LOVE Cars.  I mean love.  It's so funny to think that as an infant and toddler you had Maya's toys to play with... strollers, dolls.  And you were the best stroller-pusher ever!  But then one day you learned about cars, and that was it.  Cars-obsessed!  I don't think anyone even tried to teach you about cars, you just got into them on your own.  The difference between boys and girls I guess.

Love you sweet boy.  Love you to the moon and back and I absolutely adore you.  Happy birthday!

Ojai Valley Inn and Spa

Raising Children

I've spent the past week "at home."  This has been a week at home for me between jobs.  I start anew on Monday.  It's been an amazing time for self-growth and self-reflection.  Awesome and I feel lucky and privileged to have been given the opportunity.

I've spent the mornings with my kids.  Making them breakfast.  Sitting with them.  Things I don't get a chance to do most days.  And with the busyness of work, I don't get a chance to appreciate it when I do get the chance, because I'm frankly just tired.  I hope my new opportunity will allow me to change that.  Fingers crossed.

I adore my children.  Truly truly truly.  They are great kids.  I try hard to raise them well each day.  To make them loving, but strong.  To make them smart, but still sensitive.  To give them good vision, and a good perspective on what the world is like.  To let them have fun like crazy, but also know that life isn't just fun and games.  I am doing the best I know how, and I feel in my bones that I'm doing it right.  I hope I'm right.

Today is Friday, which is shabbat.  The kids had great swimming lessons (I'm so proud!), then they got bathed and I threw some dinner together.  Right before dessert we remembered that it was Friday, Shabbat!  How could we forget?? Maya and I looked at eachother, exasperated.  Cute.  We grabbed two candles, and Maya said the prayers, she is awesome, and we talked.  About what we are grateful for.  About what an incredible family we have.  How lucky we are to have all that we have.  How we always have to think about who we are and where we come from.  Just like the Jewish people that escaped Egypt from King Pharaoh.  Maya talked about how he didn't treat the Jewish people very nice and he got the bad plagues.  She totally knows and connects with the story.  Then she mentioned each person in our family... how special they all are.  We all said "Shabbat Shalom" and "Amen" -- little Ethan too.  He is such a natural at things in life.

Maya and Ethan. They are my biggest sources of joy and pride and I love them, literally, to the moon and back.