Happy Birthday to My FIVE Year Old!!

Dear Nolan,

Happy birthday sweet boy. Today you are five and I know you are very excited. You have been counting down for weeks. The day is finally here and I am so happy to share in your joy of turning five. You have been most certain that waking up this morning would mean you have grown taller. In fact, you told the sales person at the sports store that you needed to go ahead and buy a bigger baseball glove because you will be growing overnight. Did it happen? Do you feel different? I know your heart believes things are different for you today. My heart feels different too. When you turned one, two, three, and four I always had such mixed feelings. It is no surprise to you (since I have been saying it for weeks) that I feel those same mixed feelings today too. You just seem SO much bigger and more mature and grown than last year. Something I probably say each year too, but it is so true. You no longer look like a little boy to me. Sometimes when I watch you swinging on the playground, talking with others at the grocery store, or finishing your work at the end of your school day, it seems like I hardly recognize that baby that was born five years ago.

Words cannot describe how much you are loved. Only when you have a child can you understand what it feels like to have your heart bursting with love and happiness. You give me that feeling every single day. Thank you for your unconditional love. Nothing is sweeter than hearing you say “I love you mommy.”

We also could not be more proud of you. We are constantly told by others how well behaved and sweet you are. Thank you for working so hard to make good choices and be a good person. Your Daddy and I will continue to try our best to be good role models for you and teach you what it means to have compassion, understanding, and strive to be the best you can be. We see so much potential in you and cannot wait to see how you use your talents.

Your creative side has really developed over the past year and I love seeing how your imagination works. From building a “Disney World” out of Lego’s to using Tinker Toys to create a candelabra for me, a tool box for Daddy, and an air traffic control tower, we are constantly impressed! You continue to have a love for learning. We hope you always show this enthusiasm.

I must mention what a great big brother you are. You are so loving to Griffin and such a great role model. He adores you and looks up to you. I love to see the two of you interact and play with each other. You are thoughtful with him and considerate of his needs and feelings. You are also such a great helper to Daddy and I too with Griffin. We are so proud of how you have filled the role of big brother so well.

This is going to be a very exciting year for you. You will play on your first sports team. You will say goodbye to the only school you have known to start Kindergarten. You will make a new group of friends. Learn to ride a bike without training wheels? Hopefully! So many things are in store for you and I am so happy to be along for the ride.

I wish you the very best this year. May you continue to flourish and grow inside and out! We are so proud of what you have become over the past five years. We look forward to see what you have in store for us this next year.

We hope it is the best year yet!

Happy birthday Nolan! We love you to the moon and back!

Love,

Mommy (and Daddy)