Logan - January 2014

Well I'm late with your letter and the reason why is that I like your siblings more than you.  Obviously that's not true, but if you knew that I was writing you letters every month and knew that yours was X number of days late and Tessa's was less than that number you would surely accuse me of favoritism.  You've been kind of a pill lately to be completely honest.  Your absolute FAVORITE thing to do in the world is to argue with anyone you come in contact with (usually me), and you still feel like it is your job to raise Tessa and Tyson.  I've got to admit it's been a little rough around here lately, but we are learning and figuring things out and finally realizing that it takes 2 to argue. :)  Lots of times lately you find yourself mumbling to yourself instead of having someone to fight back.  I really do need to write down some of my favorite arguments you've given me lately.  I have gotten more smiles from hearing you defend yourself out of an impossible argument than anything else lately.

And then there are moments when you are so sweet and helpful.  This was one day before school where you stopped what you were doing and got down on the floor to play with Tyson.  I had to take a picture mostly because I was shocked Tyson was playing with toys instead of throwing them at someone's head, but I also thought it was a pretty sweet picture showing just how much you like that little troublemaker.

Christmas finally came, thanks to you for counting down the days, and the Saturday before we headed up to Panguitch for the Pollock Christmas party.  We had talked about if the Santa that came to the party was the real Santa (because Quade told you it wasn't), and I said that some years Santa needs help getting to all the Christmas parties and stores but that I thought the real one was coming this year.  Well you were the first one to catch a glimpse of him through the window that night and then the first one to have your finger scanned on Santa's Naughty or Nice app (Santa's got to keep up with technology apparently.).  When you ended up scanning naughty you weren't too thrilled, and complained later that it wasn't a real thing because all the 6-year-old boys were naughty.  Dad and I know that wasn't a coincidence though!

You must have forgiven Santa enough, and he you, because you sat on his lap to get your present and tell him that you wanted a basketball hoop for Christmas.  Earlier that day we opened presents with the Veater family, and you got a transformer and a puzzle from Quade and some nice clothes and a fishing pole from Grandma and Grandpa Veater.

On Christmas Eve we had our tradition of going out to look at lights and then coming home to watch a movie together.  Before the movie I let you guys open up your presents from me and dad.  They'd been under the tree for a couple weeks and had been thoroughly shaken, and you were pretty stumped about what it could be.

A new pair of Christmas pajamas of course, along with some popcorn and some movie theater candy (that's what stumped you - the shaking of the candy).  We got a picture...

and then snuggled down to watch The Polar Express before sending you guys off to bed.

The next morning you were the first one up (not bad at 6:45!) and headed straight for the goods under the tree.  I caught you and told you we had to get everyone else up first, and you wasted no time making sure Tess got out of bed while I got your dad and Ty.

You got a basketball, the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid book, a basketball pump (which ended up being the most popular "gift," go figure), an electric pencil sharpener (still makes me laugh), and a few other smallish things.  You didn't see your basketball hoop though.  You were definitely disappointed, but you were trying really hard not to be.  You decided you'd better look outside, so you checked there.  Then you checked in the basement and the garage.  You were just telling us that Santa must not have gotten you one when you turned around and saw it hiding in the kitchen.  You were pretty dang excited that Santa had listened.

Tess got you and Ty both a little something, and you guys gave her something as well. It was pretty sweet to see your hugs and my favorite part of Christmas morning.

Later that morning we headed to Hurricane and spent the day with Grandma and Grandpa Hillier and Aunt Lisa and Uncle Joe.  You got spoiled there as well with a bunch of fun stuff in your stocking and some Legos.  We won't mention the fit you threw that night on the way home because the rest of the day had been a pretty great Christmas.

A few days after Christmas Tess and I took all the decorations off the tree, but I left it up in the front room.  The night before New Year's Eve I redecorated it with streamers and hats and balloons filled with jokes and noisemakers for a New Year's Eve tree.  The look on your face the next morning when you saw the tree transformed was pretty fun, and you guys had a blast popping the balloons to find out what was inside.  Who needs to stay up until midnight to have fun on New Year's?

We signed you up for basketball this year, and I have been a little nervous as to how you were going to do.  When I first told you that you could sign up this year you were so excited, so when registration opened up I didn't even ask you, I just did it.  When I told you that I'd signed you up you Fah-reaked out on me big time saying you didn't want to do it and I needed to get my money back and take you off the list.  Well a couple days later you switched back to being so excited you could hardly stand it, so I breathed a sigh of relief that I hadn't wasted my $25!  First and second grade basketball is... tough.  I wish they had done the program a little differently, but what amazed me and your dad was the way you handled everything.  You've never been a super aggressive kid when it comes to sports, and basketball was no different, but you went out there and played and enjoyed it every single time.  You were nervous and unsure of yourself, no doubt about that, but you DID IT, and that tells us so much about you.  The first game you had your hands in your mouth a lot so I put the nail-biting nail stuff on your fingers for the next game only to have you discover your pockets.  I sewed your pockets shut for the next game, but you picked them open!  You only had the ball on a couple short (very short) occasions during the games, but your attitude was awesome and you were just happy to be playing.  I was VERY impressed.

It's not too hard to see where your love of arguing comes from, I think your dad and I have got that pretty well covered, but it is so good to see that sometimes you are just happy to be where you are doing what you are doing.  Content.  Normally that's not a word I would use to describe you, but it's in there.  I think life is easier and better if we choose to see the good in whatever situation we are in, and you did that with basketball.  Hopefully we can grow that trait so that it takes over the argumentative trait?  I don't know, but I do know that you are my favorite oldest child, and that your dad and I and your grandparents are so, so proud of how you did in basketball this year.

Love you bud,
Mom