To Jackson, on your seventh birthday

To Jackson, on your seventh birthday,

I cannot believe that you are seven years old today. It seems like just yesterday you were a tiny baby waving his arms like a conductor in that incubator. This birthday was a hard one for me as last night daddy got out all of your things from the NICU and showed them to you. You wanted to hear about what it was like when you were born.

It was so scary when you were born, but I knew the moment I laid eyes on you that my life would be forever different. You are so stubborn and when you get it in your mind that you are doing something, you WANT to do it! Sometimes it is hard knowing how to calm you and boost you up when you are feeling like you cannot do something. Learning these things has been a great challenge for me as a parent but seeing you succeed is a huge reward.

This year you lost your first tooth jumping on the bed at Disney! When Sumner was scared at Disney, you held his hand and helped him through every step of the rides he practiced in OT. You graduated from kindergarten and started first grade. You love to read and you told me your favorite subject is "read to self" from the daily 5. You love to invent things and check out lots of books about scientists and inventors so you can learn about how they created their famous inventions. You have a beautiful singing voice and you are so musical. You played t-ball and football. You had a speaking part in the kindergarten musical. You care for stuffed animals and people like a little mother hen and you are always wanting to cuddle and hug.

I love you for your caring and kindness and your huge heart. You love things so openly and wholly that sometimes your heart gets broken. You are such a good big brother to Truman and he loves to play with you. You make him laugh and you watch out and care for him. You know just what to say when someone needs a kind word or is feeling sad. You have such a way with people. You are a smart, funny, caring, sweet and thoughtful boy. I am beyond lucky to have you.

I love you Jackson. Happy birthday!

Love, Mommy