Dear Alden,
Today, you are seven years old! It's a weird year, with COVID-19 and so a birthday party isn't really the best idea. But we are still excited to celebrate you in a very a special way.
This year has been a tough one for many people, and as much as I try to shield you from all the sad, scary things, you have had your share of heaviness as well. Your kindergarten year ended weirdly; schools shut down in mid-March, and we did some virtual learning until June. You did really well with learning at home, but you missed your friends and Mr. Hood. Now, you're in first grade in Ms. Dodge's class, whom you adore. Unfortunately, she is taking a leave of absence, and you definitely miss her.
Also, during the school shut down, Grandpa Duck passed away. You, Leland, and Olivia have really missed seeing him across the backyard and visiting him on our bike rides. It's been an emotional few months for you.
But despite all the heavy, we have still managed to find so much joy. You love to play outside, especially riding your bike. In the summer, you could live at the beach. This past summer was filled with beach days, bike rides, hikes, and all kinds of new adventures. We visited the UP in July, and you say your favorite part was biking around Mackinac Island.
In the winter, you would spend every day skiing if you could. Last winter, you and Leland took skiing lessons at Crystal Mountain. You both advanced pretty quickly in the program, and are looking forward to another season on the slopes this winter.
These days. you are interested in Minecraft, even though you've probably only played it a couple of times. You and Leland both chose to be Minecraft characters for Halloween. You like to play with Legos and are getting more and more creative with your buildings. You like to play board games, but your favorite pastime, I think, is cuddling.
For the first 6-8 weeks of your life, you ate every hour. It was absolutely exhausting, but I knew you'd grow out of that eventually. Well, at seven years old, you ask to eat about that often. Your favorite food is still macaroni and cheese, and you still don't like pizza (what in the world?!). You love any kind of sweet treat, and fruit snacks are gold! You like gummy bears in your ice cream. You also still really like Altoid mints.
You don't like to make decisions. Having too many options makes you anxious, and you often have a hard time deciding what you want to eat from restaurants, or how you would like to spend the day when you have the choice. Honestly, you're a little like me in that way.
You're a super reader and have a great mind for math. Your current favorite books are Elephant & Piggie and Fly Guy. You also love to look at toy catalogs and the LEGO magazine.
Alden, I am so glad I get to call you mine. You bring me joy every single day. I love you so much, my sweet middlest.
Love, Mom
