Happy Birthday to my sweet baby boy!

{Welcome to the world sweet baby boy!}

October 19, 2007
9:53 a.m.
7lbs 9 oz
 18 "

My Dearest William,

You are nearly four years old! Tomorrow morning when the sun rises and you wake up in your bed, you will no longer be three and a half {this is how old you tell everyone you are, including me just today}, you will be a big four year old boy.

Tonight was a night like so many others; I tucked you in, I cuddled close to you and read you a book, then we prayed and I sang to you. But tonight you were so giddy about your birthday that your little body was pulsing with excitement. You thought you might be able to just count to five and then it would be your birthday. When I told you I thought you needed to fall asleep first, you thought maybe counting to seven would be better. My precious boy, you are excited for your birthday.

Four years ago, I remember laying in my bed on Leland Street feeling the very same way. My belly was so full and round that I nearly couldn't get comfortable, but even when I could my body was pulsing with excitement anticipating the next morning; a Friday, the day I would meet you.

{Photo credit: Sara Louise Photography :) }
And my sweet child, just look at you now, a four year old boy. You are such a blessing to me and to our family.

You are kind and funny and goofy and conversational. You love animals and going to the zoo and making sure that babies are always with their mommy's. You are compassionate and show empathy. When we were taking a walk on the trail by our new house we stumbled upon a lifeless mouse. You stopped, squatted down and stared at that mouse. After a few minutes I urged you to come on and leave it, but you wanted to stay with it until its mommy came. You love to collect acorns, but you don't like to bring them into the house. You like for the squirrels to have all of the food they need outside where they can find it. {And you happen to call them 'skirrels' and I'll really miss that when you learn to make the qu- sound.}

You love superheroes and reading books. And you love superhero books. And if there is a superhero book in a cereal box, you can bet we will have three uneaten boxes of Trix in our pantry so that you can have those books. You insist, and who am I to argue? You have a belly laugh that's really quite contagious. It's one of those that comes from way down deep in your soul. It's one of my favorite things about you. Your laugh and your easy way. And well if someone happens to fart, then all the better, there's nothing funnier to you in the world than that. {Except one in the bathtub, because then there's bubbles, too.}

You have taught me about forgiveness and grace by the way you show grace to us. You forgive quickly and completely and I really admire that. You have taught me to relax more and take life in stride. You're never in a hurry. You love to dress up and you always leave the house with at least one thing in your hands. You love spare keys and jingle them in your pockets like a janitor. You love rain boots and sunglasses and belts. You don't take naps anymore but you love to fall asleep in the car. You still love stroller rides and walking to feed the fish in the pond by our house. You learned to ride your bike without training wheels and love to ride in circles. You still love your blankets even though one is lost and the two you have are in tatters and shreds.

You are an absolutely precious boy, my sweet William. Being your mama and having this family of four has been my dream come true. Lying there in my bed four Octobers ago, I could have never guessed the blessing you would be in our lives. I will miss the sweet three's. The way you say your "sp" 's like "f" 's , so that Spiderman is Fiderman and the way your little voice sounds now. I will miss the way you still fit perfectly into my lap and how you curl up with me every morning when you come downstairs in your pajamas with your blankets. But I am excited for you my dear boy - you are turning four and I know you can't wait!
Happy Fourth Birthday William!
It's going to be so much fun!