Wow! 5 years buddy! Look at you now....growing up so fast but if I stare pretty hard, I can still see my baby boy. So much of you remains the same.
You are a thinker. As a baby, you'd spend countless minutes laying on your belly spinning the wheels on your trucks and studying how they moved. And now you do this with airplanes and instead of minutes, it's hours.
When you were 9 months old, we would sit on the steps outside and wait for Daddy to come home. That's when you first noticed flashing lights in the sky called airplanes. You'd watch the sky intensely and every time we'd see a flash, you'd point your fingers and kick your legs. And now when we are outdoors on a walk or on your big wheel, you'll stop dead in your tracks at the faintest sound of an airplane. You always insist we wait for it to pass over us before we continue. And how you LOVE to shout the airplane's name when you finally see it overhead.
You love treasures. When you were 2 years old, you started collecting treasures in the flower pot on our porch. We called it your "treasure pot" and everyday you'd stop at the door and unload your pockets - rocks, sticks, dirty trinkets from the ground.....all treasures from your daily adventures. Now those treasures come home in your backpack. Drawings, scribbles, art projects, report cards, glitter and wet glue......all treasures from preschool that you hand over to me with a huge smile. And now the treasure pot is no longer on the front porch but in a drawer in the kitchen.
You are an engineer. For as long as I can remember, you have always loved books about "how things work." The last 5 years, we've sat on the couch and read about conveyor belts, how to build a school bus, the history of flight, race car engines, and the list goes on and on. You continue to ask a million questions about the world around you. Your zest for learning is one of your best qualities.
And that is probably why you love school so much. Everyday you jump in the car to tell me something new. I love how excited you are to have the answers and explain to me as if I am the student and you are the teacher.
And in many ways, that is exactly how the last 5 years have played out. You are the teacher and I am the student.
William, you have taught me so much about myself. When my patience is tested, you teach me to be still. and wait. I'll admit, it's really hard. But I am getting better at it. For you take your time. You want to get it right. You always have "5 more minutes" in your world. You want to fly just one more airplane when I am ready to walk out the door. Sometimes it takes 10 minutes to get your shoes on, but I am reminded to wait. Because in your world, you have taught me that my "have to nows" are not as important as living in the moment . You remind me everyday that it's ok to be a few minutes late. That it's ok if the schedule goes off course. That flying one more plane or eating breakfast for 45 minutes is really, well...just fine.
You've also taught me about letting go. I can't help it. You've been my buddy for 5 years. As your mom, it's hard for me to watch you grow up and in the tiniest of ways, let you learn lessons on your own. Your independence is emerging and although I am so happy to see your confidence blossom, I am still going to worry about you. But what makes it easier on my heart is know that you are such a great kid. William you are a loyal friend and you care deeply about everyone in your life. There have been many times when randomly, you'll mention a friend by name. You always tell me how much you love them and end with a reason why you like that person so much.
You have fantastic manners and this makes me SO proud. Respect is the number one trait I wanted to teach you and I have seen it play out millions of times within your personality.
I'd say 4.5 was a little bit of a challenge in the listening department. We've had to work on turning on our ears quite a bit. But, I think that's just part of the kid journey!
You have a joyous spirit. Your whole life, you have been happy. Everyday with you is a gift William. I cannot thank you enough for giving me the chance to be your mom. My mind often replays the day you were born. And it remains the most magical day of my life. In a split second you changed my heart and for the last 5 years, I have never been more proud of anyone. I love you past Heaven, beyond the stars and from the top of my head to the bottom of my toes.
Happy Birthday to my best boy.
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