Happy 3rd Birthday Sweet Ian

My Sweet Ian, 

Today you are three.  What a crazy ride the last year has brought. A year ago you were just starting to string words together. Today you have the gift of gab. A year ago we should have bought stock in Band Aids as you were unsteady on your feet.

Yesterday under a beautiful, warm spring afternoon you were running with the neighborhood boys trying to do most anything Ben and his friends included you in playing.

You have flourished this past year as we visited family in Florida and Atlanta, saw Uncle Brian, took trips to Disney, on a train, the beach, the zoo, area museums, and many a sun drenched afternoon just playing at home.

At three you love shoveling sand, trucks of all shapes and sizes that haul your collection of rocks and sticks, Legos stuffed in your pockets, and riding our menagerie of scooters and trikes.

You have thrived at school with teachers who love you and have unending patience with your potty successes (and misses) as well as your desire to be into everything and anything.  Ms. Jigna and Ms. Heather report you love puzzles best and are first to run over to any hurt friend as ask if they are ok.

I find you most days at pickup snuggled with a book or at the knee of your teacher listening intently to one being read.  I'm frankly amazed at any amount of focus after a long day at school and hope this is an indicator of future school readiness.  

As your mom I hope you will remember that I strived  for meaning through activity and time spent with you and Ben over anything I could buy.  I hope that when you parent your own children that you will remember you were loved regardless of any antics infamous with this difficult age.  Even on the the most trying and exhausting of days your laugh helps me remember that while the days are long, the time short.

You continuously tell me you are a big brother, not a little brother.  You can hold your own with Ben in most any fight and frankly at nearly 20 lbs lighter you are a scrappy contender.  You contribute to our loud and chaotic family life.  You have taken on more responsibility in this last year, and for that I am proud of your growing maturity.

When I promised at our much anticipated ivf transfer that I would see you again in nine months, I had hopes that you would complete our family. I wished that you would grow into a loving, sweet child. Everyday you prove that dream reality. You are a gift of love and light.  

Happy birthday my littlest blue-eyed boy.  May your next trip around the sun be as bright at your smile.

Love-
Mom