Dear Tobin,

We are mired in the very busiest month of the year, when all the activities seem to happen all at once.  Things will start to slow down when June comes, though really it’s July when we can finally catch our breath.

Photo by Gary Clarke

Speaking of breath, you did very well once again in the Let Me Run 5k.  Since you’re not  old enough to be part of the official team, so we signed you up as a community runner and did a few training runs on our own time.  You were one of the youngest runners at the race, and you did great.  It’s a good thing Miles doesn’t care much about your relative speeds, because you beat him by a fair margin (again).  Once you reach the minimum age for team membership and start doing more structured training, you’re going to be unstoppable.

Baseball is the biggest time-consumer for our family right now.  It’s been a tumultuous season, weather-wise, with a good number of rain-outs and much fluctuation in temperature.  Some nights you need a winter coat and other nights you need multiple refills of your water bottle to keep from turning into a raisin.  You’re in the pitching machine league this year, which you seem to enjoy, and this year someone keeps score at your games.  You’ve had a mix of wins and losses, but you are having fun.  Honestly I think what you like the most is ballpark food.  I keep trying to feed you before you leave for a game, but you’d rather spend your savings on tepid pizza slices.

Today Callum and I had the opportunity to visit your music class and stay afterward to join you for lunch and recess.  You were so proud to have your little brother there to play with you.  During music class, you did an activity that involved choosing a partner, and you went straight to Callum.  He was too shy to participate much, but you still did a good job including him to the degree that you could.  At lunch, you declined to sit with your usual friend group, deciding instead to find a spot big enough for Callum and me to sit with you.  At recess, you and your friends scrambled around the playground with him.  I was especially impressed with your friend Barack, who was kind and patient and always ready to hold Callum’s hand to keep him safe.  He was very disappointed when the bell rang and you had to go back to class, and he wants to do it again some time.

We celebrated Mother’s Day a bit off-schedule, since true Mother’s Day weekend was packed full of other commitments.  The following Friday night, you presented me with a menu for the special breakfast you planned to make me.  I made my selections, and after you expressed interest in making coffee for me, I got the coffee maker partially set up and wrote out instructions for the remaining steps.  The next morning, you brewed the coffee for me, then set out with your dad  to the Farmer’s Market.  You got me an almond croissant, just like I requested, as well as some other ingredients for a delicious dinner.  You presented it attractively on a special plate and tray, and it was so big that I was very happy to share a few bites with you.  You were also very proud to give me a present you made at school, a customized coaster with a lovely picture you drew of us.

It’s part of your nature to be excited about helping people, and your enthusiasm for making my day special was overwhelming.  I felt so loved.  You are a truly kind and generous little boy.

Your current favorites:  cubing (you can solve a Rubik’s type cube in about one minute now), watching YouTube videos on the topic of cubing, ice cream, and freestyle dancing.

Sometimes your dad and I feel exhausted by your enthusiasm, when the quiet people of the family just want to sit in silence and you’re telling jokes and making weird noises and talking in strange voices.  You are extremely energetic, both physically and mentally, but you bring such joy and electricity to our family.  We’ve got a lot of togetherness coming up this summer, but I’m guessing it won’t be dull.

Love,

Mommy