Dear Wyatt,

You are stubborn and relentless. I was reminded of these two character traits tonight. Lorien suggested we play a family game before bed (Daddy is away making an Elders Quorum visit). I let Lorien choose the game since it was her idea. You did not want to play the game she picked so you set up dominoes in the hall. When I came back from nursing Adell to start the game. You were lieing on the floor by the game Lorien had set up. When you had a little scuffle with Clare you stormed off to your room and spent the next 25 minutes screaming about how every one in the family hated you. You even went down the list of family names including Daddy and Adell as people who hated you. I did not know what to do! I was heart-broken to hear you saying I hated you... I prayed to Heavenly Father: "Please help me to know what to do and how to comfort Wyatt." After I tucked the girls in bed I went into your room to try and talk with you. You said "If you don't need me, I don't need you!" I don't know where you got the idea that I didn't need you? I made you open the door. We sat on the floor and you let me hold you and rock you for the first time in years I think. We talked about the evening. I assured you that I did not hate you. I made you promise to never say I hated you again. Because I will ALWAYS love you. I might get frustrated about the choices you make but I will never hate you. We snuggled in bed until you just about fell asleep. I hope you know how much I love you.

When you were 18 months old we would take walks around Stanford's campus. On the way home, you would naturally be very tired. You wouldn't want to go home. You would scream and fight me on going home. I would have to snap you into the bike trailer and keep you from trying to climb out. You would scream the whole way home... If I tried to let you out, thinking you would see me walking, not want me to leave you and run to catch-up, you would stay put... I'd walk quite a distance away and you would not follow. You did not want to go home and it did not matter what I did, you were staying put!

When you were 2 and 1/2 we took a walk around the block. You stopped to show me something in a neighbors yard. I could not stop to look. You got mad and refused to walk home. I kept walking...thinking again...you'd follow me home. Nope. You stayed put, yelling "Momma!" the whole time. I came back to you but not before a concerned neighbor had come out of his house wondering where your parents were. I had to scoop you up and carry you home kicking and screaming the whole way.

This is how you are. When some thing upsets you or is not going your way you will not easily bend your will to the direction you don't want it to go. You will fight and scream. You are stubborn and relentless. I am hope these attributes will be beneficial in later years.

I love you Wyatt.

Love,

Momma