Hapde Burfday Baby

My Dearest Jack,
Today you are five. I can't really imagine how we are already to number five. I still remember feeling utterly panicked when you were a tiny baby who just would not stop crying and I had no clue what to do about it. I remember feeling like the "babysitter" and I kept wondering when your mother was going to come get you.
Obviously those days are long gone.

I still get all flustered when you are crying and I don't know what to do to help you, but for the most part we have it sorted out by now, don't we?
I know this has been a hard year for you too.

You've struggled with life and death, a new school and moving into a new house.

And yet you still manage to be incredibly *you*.
You can currently be found doing things like:

reading everything you can get your hands on
working on some complicated math! (division for one)
exhibiting a real understanding of dollars and cents ("I have ten dollars, and this costs $4 and this $7.50, so that's $11.50. I still need $1.50 mom".)
telling me things like "Mom you are home all alone on Monday so you should have plenty of time to get my hamper back in my room"
telling Oma she is a "sparkly doodoo head"
amazing everyone around you, from the checker in the walgreens to people in waiting rooms when they realize how smart you are
building legos constantly
watching plenty of Max & Ruby
dreaming of a trip to the moon
high fiving your new friends at preschool
asking to go EVERYWHERE - from bowling to golfing to Florida
and on and on.
Next year you will be on to kindergarten, so I am acutely aware that our days together are spinning away from us.

And yet, some things have changed very little. Dandy is still always on the living room floor. Your vent is still always on when you sleep. And you are still asking me for oatmeal after George.
However, you might be the only person I know who cannot wait to gain more weight! (And it makes me laugh when you run off to check the scale again, convinced that 5 year olds should weigh 45 pounds.)
I love you baby. More and more each year. It's an amazing gift to watch you grow.

This year my dream for you is that you are able to remember no matter how smart you might be that it's important to choose a path that truly makes you happy. No amount of dollars and cents is worth trading away all your days for. Those moments never come back.

All my love,
Your mama
(who did manage to get the hamper back in your room)