Happy Birthday, Reed

Dear Reed,

You were born exactly 12 years ago. I remember you were a much-anticipated baby . . . mom had been in bed for months and months so you wouldn't be born prematurely. And I was the oldest so I was learning to do things around the house and helping take care of the crazy 5-year-old Monica and 2-year-old David. Isn't it weird that they were so little? David still had his scratchy voice and Monica was still really really hyper. We were always playing together. Then one day we got to go to the hospital--you had finally come! And I got to hold you, so tiny! You were definitely supposed to be part of our family. Being 10, I was old enough to really help take care of you and I really felt like you were my baby too. I remember making you bottles with the nasty powder formula in the little plastic baggies and shaking it up, holding the bottle so you wouldn't get lots of air bubbles. I loved having a baby!!!

Then you became a toddler! A really cute one with a really big head and a cute smile! You were pretty easy going, even with all of us older kids dragging you around the house and making you play with us. When you got a little bigger your hair was awesome, really long and parted on the side. I remember I had the job of combing your hair and getting you ready for church sometimes. You hated having your hair combed! Nothing's changed! But I really liked getting to pick out your outfits!

It was especially cute when you started playing t-ball! Who knew that you would end up playing for all these years! You are awesome! I tried to show you a thing or two, but pretty much you schooled me. Oh well. I miss getting to go to your games and cheering you on! I hope we get to again soon. And thanks for giving my boyfriends a chance to work their way into the family! They loved playing baseball with you out back--some of them have said how they still wanted to play with my brothers even when I wasn't home (basically you were more fun than me!) You play sports and you rock their socks at video games. I got into the PS2 thing and we played Tony Hawk and DDR to our heart's content!

And then one day you were taller than me! Wait a second, you're still a little boy! I can't believe you are twelve, two years older than I was when you were born! It's a really exciting year because you get to start young men's and get the priesthood! And you are going to start middle school! It feels so weird that my baby is not a baby at all any more with his size 12 shoes!!! And I thought it was so great that you started playing the sax. You're pretty good at it and one day you'll woo all the ladies with your mad skills and baseball pants! Plus you have a really cool name! I miss you in California and I hope you're having a wonderful birthday! I love you!