Dear Toby-heart,

A day or two ago, we were winding down for bedtime, and as usual, you were still feeling energetic.  You bounced up and down next to me on the couch and said, “I love my personality.  It’s so fun.”

I cannot argue with that, my dear.  Sometimes your dad and Miles and I look at each other and silently communicate bewildered exasperation about how you rarely slow down, how the tireder you get, the higher you bounce.  You have a different way of processing input than we do, and sometimes it’s hard for us to understand.  Most of the time, though, it’s pretty entertaining.

Your talent for making friends has been in full-force lately.  You’ve had multiple playdates with multiple friends, both old and new.  Your friend Ben got you excited about golf, so we’re suddenly finding ourselves in the market for kid-sized golf clubs.  Your dad’s are for left-handed people, so you don’t have much opportunity to practice except when you’re playing with Ben.  I guess I’m going to have to start scouring Craigslist for a set of clubs for you.  You do tend to be very passionate about a particular topic for a short period of time and then forget about it (I’m looking at you, dice-stacking cup), so I’m reluctant to invest a lot right now.  We’ll see how long you stay excited about golf.

You also made some new friends at baseball, not just on your team but also the younger brothers of a teammate of Miles.  I happen to know their mom, so I think we’ll get some playdates set up with that group too.  You thrive in social settings and interactions with others.  It’s impressive and weird to me.

You also need plenty of running around and fresh air, and with all the rain we’ve had this spring and summer, you’re probably going a little nuts.  We’ve had a few nice days when we’ve been able to hit the splash pad and take a trip out to the Fossil Gorge.  We’ve also had fun splashing around in the creek behind out house.  We’re planning a home renovation project, with the mindset that we’ll make our current house work for us rather than look for a different one.  Spending time in our own little semi-urban forest makes me so happy that we made that decision.

You’re also a kid who loves ritual and tradition.  You woke up earlier than usual today because you knew your dad would be leaving for a business trip and you wanted to make sure to see him before he left.  Luckily, you were up early enough that the two of you were able to make time for one of your favorite special rituals:  a trip out for breakfast bagels.  Normally you make an event of it and play games and talk while you eat, but today you had to do a truncated version.  You were pretty sad when he hit the road, so I’m glad you got to enjoy at least some semblance of your favorite weekend treat.

Similarly, you’re attached to our other family traditions.  You’re never one to miss cocktail hour, and you really love having it out on our back porch.  The porch will probably be going away in the home remodel project, but we’re hoping to work a small balcony with bar stools into the plan, so hopefully we’ll be able to continue our fresh-air family time.

You’re excited about the library’s summer reading program, and you’ve discovered a new book series you like (The x-Storey Treehouse series by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton).  It’s fun to hear you laughing as you cuddle up under a blanket with your book.  You’re particularly motivated by the second set of prizes, which include coupons for some of your favorite restaurants and the Iowa Children’s Museum.

Your current favorites:  playing with friends (especially Kit, Henry, and Ben), cubing, golf, pepperoni pizza, playing outside, running around like a crazy-man, and watching YouTube.

One of your missing teeth is growing in, and it won’t be long before that gap-toothed grin has disappeared.  Rest assured that your smile isn’t going anywhere, Tobin.  I, too, love your personality.  Thank you for all the sunshine you bring us, rainy season or not.

Love,

Mommy