Happy Birthday Ryan

Dear Ryan,

I never thought this day would come- after all, weren’t you just born?  Didn’t your head just fit into the palm of my hand?  Couldn’t I just hold your entire body in the crook of my arm? Wasn’t I just holding my brand new baby, thinking you would always be this little? 

Five years could not have passed this quickly, but it has, and here we are today and you are five.  My life changed for the better the moment I found out I was pregnant with you. A moment before, it was just me- a moment after, I was somebody’s mother- your mother.  I realized from that moment on, it would never be just me again, and I would always have you.

As you have grown and changed from a newborn, to an infant, to a baby, to a toddler, to a preschooler, and now a little boy, I have always loved each stage you have been.  I always wish you would never outgrow the age you are in, but I know that isn’t possible, and then I find myself loving the new stage you are in.  As you grow older, I am finding out more and more about you- your personality, your likes, your dislikes, and it is a wonderful journey everyday.

You are such a good helper.  You love helping me get dinner ready, and you love helping Dad with any project he is working on.  You like to take our orders for dinner at grandma’s house.  Even though you don’t like to, you always put your toys away when I ask, and I can tell you are learning  responsibility.

You love dessert. Ice cream is your favorite right now- chocolate to be exact.  You are your mommy’s son.  🙂 

You love making waffles with Dad on Saturday’s, and you enjoy cooking with me and your grandmas’. 

Your favorite thing in life right now is your toys- your Mack cement truck Santa brought you for Christmas.  You love playing trucks, trains, cars, Lincoln Logs, and construction. 

You enjoy your preschool so much, with your friends and your teachers. 

Perhaps the most rewarding aspect, is how you love Cole.  You realize now that he is smaller than you, and is just trying to keep up with you.  You are so nice to him, even when he grabs your toys out of your hand and you always ask him so nice to give them back to you.  You like showing him things that you have discovered and he just glows when his big brother pays attention to him.  You two really are the best of friends.

Five years ago when you born, I had a new baby.  I had no idea how to be a mother. I only knew the second I saw you, I was in love.  But you taught me over the years what you needed.  When you were a baby, your cries told me.  When you were a toddler, your screams of frustration told me, and now as you turn five, you can talk and communicate to me what you need.  We have learned a lot from each other these last five years Ryan, and I love you so very, very, much. 

When you were born, I couldn’t have imagined I would love you more today, but I do- I love you more every day.  I am so grateful I am your mother, and I am so grateful to have you as my son.  As the next five years pass, (I hope they don’t pass as quickly, but I have a feeling they will) I can’t wait to find out even more about you.  I hope you know how much joy and love you have brought to our family and my goal for you (and for Cole) is to make sure you always know how much we love you, and to make sure you feel loved, happy, and secure- always.

I love you, sweetie from the bottom of my heart.  Happy Fifth Birthday.

Mommy

Here are some pictures from your birthday party on Sunday at the Children’s Museum in Denver.