Our little boy...

It is amazing how quickly Fletcher is growing from our vantage point since he is our first and only child.

He is analytical and what I would describe as an intense child. Every morning he needs his markers, paper, or an exercise workbook to get him through breakfast. He can maneuver the computer well and also find games and teaches himself to play them on our IPhone and computer easily. To me, this is amazing.

He is doing well in school. He knows the alphabet. He can count to 26 in both English and Spanish. He is learning to write his name. He can write part of it without help -- the down fall of having a long name! Fletcher is learning to recognize words and how letters make up words.

He is taking Karate which has helped us to reinforce manners and respect.

Fletcher loves to sing, ride his ATV, still loves cars & trucks, reading books and bath time.

Fletcher is still rough and tough so it was really hard for us a few weeks ago when he came down with a stomach virus. All he did was lay around and throw up every where. It was a test for all of us since he doesn't tend to be sickly child. We made our first trip to the ER which required an IV to get Fletcher on the road to recovery.

My sisters often give the advice of encouraging independence for Fletcher. I am happy to say we are finally starting to see some of the independence now. When he gets frustrated with something that he can't accomplish, I say "try harder" instead of rushing to his aid.

We took him to Dutch Wonderland this past weekend and he was such a joy to see how happy he was. I am looking forward to sharing lots of new experiences with Fletcher this summer.

He is a temperamental child and doesn't like change. He is not a perfect child, but he is ours and we love him. This is a learning process and one that I'm enjoying. My biggest pay off is that big smile, a hug or that unsolicited kiss from Fletcher. I love this child so much!

Our Family

Fletcher is a good helper. He's helping Mommy & Daddy plant our Spring flowers. He also likes to help cook breakfast. He breaks the eggs (more like crushes them) and stirs them in the skillet. He gets the mail and helps with taking the garbage cans down to the street. He also likes to help Mommy with the laundry by putting in the detergent and pushing all the correct buttons to get the load started.

Lately, we've been seeing a lot of ankles and knees. Ankles from the growth and knees from Fletcher being a boy's boy. Fletcher is 46 inches tall and weighs 52lbs (after being 48lbs for over a year!) He wears boy size small and size 2 shoes. He eats a man-sized breakfast each morning - 3 pancakes and 3 sausage patties or 3 eggs and 3 sausage patties or 2 packets of instant oatmeal and a 8oz yogurt -- even with all this, some mornings will ask for more. Scary...


Silly boy... he is just that... We are learning that he's a jokster. Don't be surprised if you find a wash cloth stuffed in his pants or his shirt after his dressed cuz he's "hidden" it there and is waiting patiently for us to discover the LUMP then he laughs! He's a funny kid.

Mommy and my Aunts who all love me to pieces. They also love Mommy and Daddy to pieces and keep a watchful eye over us and make sure Mommy's taking care of herself.

Those Westphal eyebrows are filling in... Sorry Fletcher.... We knew this would happen.

Our handsome little boy... Cheese!

As I sit here and update Fletcher's blog (on the start of Mother's Day weekend), it makes me realize how important being a mother is and how much I miss my own mother who passed away last year around this time. I have continued my life's journey despite my loss and all life's obstacles I have endured over the past year with my cancer and its treatment. I feel fortunate to be here and have mother among my titles. There is no defeat or anger that Fletcher's smile can't dissolve. Sure, I'm still learning, evolving, and there are moments when I'm exhausted and wish I had more free time, but all in all there is no love like the love for a child and I proud to be the mother of Fletcher.