Happy birthday, Ian! I can’t believe you’re already five. It was so fun to see you so excited tonight about your birthday. I’m glad you’re so proud. To answer your questions from tonight, yes, you’ll still walk the same and talk the same. And no, you don’t stop riding in the car. But yes, you’re bigger. Unfortunately for me, you won’t ever stop growing up.
When you turned six months old, I looked at you and thought how quickly the time had gone. I realized that I only had 35 more of those 6-month periods with you before you became an adult. Never in my life had 35 seemed like such a small number.
Ian, you are the most amazing kid I have ever met. One of the main reasons I started doing this blog from your perspective was that it would prevent me from being able to brag about you every day, which I so want to do. Your passion, your brilliance, your love, and, yes, your “unbridled enthusiasm” – I have never known a child so overflowing with all of these.
So I am just going to take this time to usurp your blog and brag a little.
You love books, you love reading and you love learning. Your extensive vocabulary makes me smile, like when you choose to say “difficult” instead of “hard”, or you tell me that your head “went hurtling down” when I stopped the car fast. You don’t second guess yourself and are always looking for new ideas. Don’t lose that curiosity. Other kids ask why…but you ask “what if…?”
You aren’t really like other kids. Dad and I look at each other all the time and say “what kind of kid does that?’ There’s something that sets you apart. People who meet you – neighbors, other parents, your teachers – they always tell me that you amaze them. This isn’t something I’ve heard once or twice. It’s nearly everyone that takes time to talk to you. They are astounded by you…it’s your intelligence, your composure, your positive attitude. I wish I could take credit for it, but you are that spectacular kind of special that just turns up sometimes. All dad and I can do is provide you with opportunities to learn, help you see what you’re capable of, hold you to high standards, and make sure you don’t get trampled.
You are an unabashed mama’s boy. You come into my room in the morning and tell me I look beautiful. My heart aches a little whenever you stage a little marriage ceremony for you and me to get married. And when you slip your hand into mine for no particular reason. Thank you for all the kisses, for all the hugs, and for sometimes just wanting to be with me and nobody else.
I am also proud of the kind person you choose to be. You are not competitive (yet) and provide encouragement to those who need it. You don’t act with malice and there is no hatred in you. We have seen how angry and hurtful other people can be and despite being the object of that a few too many times, you still see only the good in people. When you’re grown, you probably won’t remember how L*** hit you, how you still called him your “mean friend” despite the regular bullying, and you probably won’t remember wanting to give him the Star Wars book that you made – because he loves Star Wars much more than even you do. And you won’t remember that you made me cry because I was so proud and in love with you at that moment. Even though you won’t remember these things, these times and so many others to come will all merge together to make you a strong and loving man.
Five years ago our world became a more beautiful place. From mom, dad and your baby Kai, happy birthday. We hope five is even more wonderful than you’ve imagined.
