5 years at the speed of light…

Dear Reid, I know you thought this day would never come…your fifth birthday. In fact, over the last 3 months you have asked every morning, “is today my birthday?” and every day until today I have replied, “no”. But today is different. Today what has taken 5 years and 9 months (minus 2 days) to occur has happened. Today I can take you into my arms and twirl your wildly with a shout of “yes!”. You take my breath away. Your soul is wise beyond your 5 years. Your spirit is as wild as your hair. You play for joy. You live your life on island time. Your head is often in another world. A world where blue power rangers shop at Target and transformers pause to laugh at Gilligan’s Island DVDs. You have a heart that beats for others. You are in the middle looking out for brothers both younger and older. You share in everything you do. You are the cat whisperer. You have a bond with a cat that no one else can approach without fear. Your love is loyal and intense. Your obsession have both amused and amazed me. Your loyalty to the color blue is entering it’s 4th year. Your laugh stops whatever I am doing. You have a way of asking a question out of the blue that makes me smile. Your observations are so insightful they cause me to marvel. Even when you are upset you have the ability to pause, think and grin. But my very, very favorite part of you is how all these things come together when you are excited. Your smile emerges, eyes twinkle, head starts bobbing, arms waving and body jumping with enthusiasm that cannot be contained in a 5 y/o body. I know this morning I will get to witness such an event. You are my middle child. You hold the middle of my heart. Happy 5th Birthday Reid! I love you with the same crazy intensity you joyfully exhibit when running through a sprinkler… Love, Mommy