September 1, 2011

Dear Thad,

Happy birthday to the little boy with the brightest spirit and the softest heart. Your love for everything but vegetables consistently blows my mind, as I so love to experience the world thru your eyes.

At the age of four, you are more stubborn than your dad, but not quite as stubborn as your mom. You would willingly give up a brand new toy at Target if it meant proving to the world just how angry you really were when you threw that temper tantrum. But you would never give up the opportunity to do something that demonstrates your independence, or your "big muscles."

Your eyes are as blue as the Colorado sky and they melt my heart every time I look into them. They also remind me of home.

You are a mama's boy thru and thru, but I think deep down inside your heart, your daddy is your best friend. I am so thankful to have a little boy in my life who allows me to re-live my days as Wendy in the Peter Pan script and fight Captain Hook. A little boy who teaches me all about monster trucks and different cars. A little boy who tries my patience until I feel like I am about to physically snap, and who shouts, "Leave my girlfriend alone!" when your daddy and I are pretending to box or wrestle.

You make me laugh in so many ways. You have my personality and your dad's attention to detail. You like to relax and go with the flow. Sometimes all you want to do is run around in the sun. You've never been able to properly pronounce the word, "Balloon," and every time I ask you what letter I am pointing at, you shout, "FOUR!"

Your favorite sport is basketball, but you will only tell people that if you're actually playing basketball. Otherwise, you say tennis.

You have absolutely no experience playing tennis.

One day you will be too big to hold, and too old to feel comfortable sitting on my lap. 

One day, you will find it awkward to cuddle with your mom on the couch while you watch some random Disney movie for the 100th time, and it will be absolutely unheard of for you to lie in bed with your mom while she rubs your head.

But today? Today you are still just young enough that I don't feel like my baby is entirely gone. You still enjoy cuddles and kisses and hugs and laughter and life.

I will treasure each of these moments until the moment they stop.

Although, let's be honest. 

I pray they never will.

Happy birthday to you, my favorite little man. Now please, do me this one favor:

...

Stop growing.

I love you,

Mommy