This morning, my baby boy (who isn’t a baby any more) turns six! It seems every year I am amazed at how fast the time has gone by. I look back at Ryan’s baby pictures, and can’t quite comprehend where that baby went. It also seems his baby days were over in an instant. When I think back to those first few months with a newborn, it didn’t seem possible that really, in a blink of an eye, he would ever be six.
One of my most cherished memories of Ryan was on the day we came home from the hospital. I had been in the hospital for five days because I had some complications from a C-section. The hospital was a hustle and bustle, and there was always someone coming and going, or a nurse in the room checking either on Ryan or myself. I had so much pain, bonding with Ryan had been hard- I was trying to learn how to take care of him, and manage my pain.
We came home in the afternoon, and Ryan’s dad left to get some food. For the first time, it was Ryan and I at home, by ourselves. I was sitting in a glider, just having finished nursing him, and he was asleep in that happy little milk coma, newborns fall into. He had a little smile on his face while he was sleeping and his head fit in the palm my hand. His body was not longer than my arm up to my elbow. I remember just sitting there and looking at him, and I fell in love with him in that moment. I had tears running down my face because of the feelings I felt for him- all 7 pounds of him!
So to Ryan, six years later-I love you more than I could ever even imagined that afternoon. You are simply amazing, and I learn so much from you every day. At six, you love routine and order. You love playing school (you are the teacher of course) and you like playing pharmacy (you are the pharmacist- of course). I am very happy that you love school and learning so much. You are becoming quite the reader, and enjoy reading to us.
You are discovering sports and have played soccer and basketball during the last year. You keep asking when you get to play baseball, and you can throw a baseball really well. If I had to make a prediction, I think baseball is going to be your sport.
Your favorite food is a tie between ice cream and macaroni and cheese, but you are trying more and more foods. You also like spaghetti, ham, and chicken. Your favorite breakfast is Cinnamon Life and waffles. You would drink a gallon of milk a day if you could.
You ask a lot of questions now too! The other day you were asking so many about football, for so long, I asked you if you could stop asking questions for a few minutes, and you asked “Why, questions are good.”
Even at six, the love and patience you show your younger brother, Cole, is touching. You think about him, and are concerned with his well being. As we were taking down the Christmas tree, Cole was crying because he was sad Christmas was over. You went up to him, and put your arm around his shoulder and said, “Don’t worry buddy- I know it is sad, but Christmas will be here next year, and Santa will bring us new presents.”
With examples like this, I often think you are much older than you are- sometimes you seem like a little old man trapped in a much younger body. That first afternoon at home with you, I loved you because you were my baby. I had no idea who you were, what your personality was like, or who you would become. Six years has gone by so fast Ryan, but every day, a little bit more of your personality gets reveled. It is a joy to watch this, and I am so lucky and fortunate I am your mom.
For the next six years, I plan to make sure you do your “job.” You like to know what people’s jobs are, and sometimes you become too concerned with adult issues. So your job is to be a little boy, to play, to have fun, to do well at school, and most importantly- eat ice cream.
Happy Sixth Birthday, Ryan. I love you!!
1/16/04- 10 days old
October, 2009- Kindergarten picture