5

Dear Parker,

You are 5!!!!  I can barely believe it but it is here!  Every birthday, I remember how you entered the world and what it meant for the both of us.  I know that every mother thinks about the same things on their child's birthday, and they know what I am talking about when I say that it is the best, saddest, happiest, bittersweet, amazing memory.  There are so many emotions that are mixed with that day.  I love to remember it.

My contractions started when I was at Jimmy John's helping Val go through some Tuesday paperwork, they were slow at first....let's see, that was around 12pm.  They lasted aaaallllll the way until you were born Wednesday morning at 8:23 am.  It was fairly easy but painful.  At one point it was scary, your heart rate dropped from in the 100's to the low 80's, we had to take oxygen, but it went back up.  But then when it was time for you to come out....you didn't want to.  I pushed and pushed and pushed, but they had to pull you out with foreceps, and when you came out the doctor exclaimed, "WOW!  Look at that huge baby!  No wonder why he was hard to get out!"  He was right, 9lbs and 21.5 inches long....a big baby and still a big boy.
We talked about how you were born last week.  You asked and I told you the story.  I don't know how much you understood, but it is the first time that you have ever asked.  I know you got the main points, it was fun telling you.

I am proud of you.  You are so smart and so big.  I have been trying to help you read, but you are so confident in yourself and knowledge of the letters that you "know" you can do it on your own.  That is one of my favorite qualities of you and this age.  Sometimes it's frustrating because you won't listen but overall, I am really glad that I have instilled that quality in you.  It will help you in Kindergarten but you have to remember to listen and learn from your teacher.  Five is such a turning point in your life.  You are not a toddler anymore but a big kid.  You are on the brink of knowledge and learning and the beginning of your schooling career.  I am so excited to see where your interests lead you and what kind of information you will be drawn to.  The next year is one that you will always remember.  Maybe not crystal clear, but you will remember your first day of school, when you learn to tie your shoes, the first book you read on your own, what it felt like to eat and bite food without your front teeth.....there is so much you will carry with you the rest of you life starting with this year and this age.  Your opinions on life and decisions and what is right and wrong, so much of your adult thoughts are forming right now and will stick with you for the rest of you life.

Five is exciting kid-o!  Live it up while you have this precious year, learn as much as your young brain can learn and continue asking the deep meaningful questions that you already ask. 

Happy Birthday my beautiful son.  Just like you are my favorite, today is my favorite day.

Love ,
Mommy