LOU IS FIVE

Our Lou… a whole hand worth of birthdays. It’s the greatest cliché but even though it feels like I’ve known you forever, it still just feels like yesterday. The day we found out about you, when I first felt you, when we heard your heartbeat, when they placed you on my chest, when you first smiled, and walked, and sung, and danced. All just yesterdays.

When I snuggle you at night, I can feel your toes stretch so long down my own legs and I’m in complete awe of you. You’ve gone from that tiny swaddled baby, to this little girl with golden hair that spills down her entire back. You skip to school with a smile on your face, you’ve made your very own friends, you come home and tell us your very own stories. You pour your own cup of orange juice, and put on your own seatbelt. You use words like “fortunate,” and draw the very best treasure maps.

But still… you flap your wings when you’re excited. You kiss me four times before you go to sleep, and when you’re saying goodbye. You cuddle your whole self against my chest whenever I lay with you. With all the growth and wonder you’ve experienced, you still remain my little baby.

You made me a mother and every single day since, you’ve taught me something. Like how every flower is worth picking, how you can never have too much ketchup, and how there’s always time for one more song. I’m so grateful for you Lou, and I spend my days with an overwhelming awareness of how lucky I am to call you mine. My wish for you this year is that you continue to grow, thrive, learn and explore. That you may continue to be creative and see beauty in the little things. That you keep spreading your kindness and excitement with everyone you meet. That you always try your best and keep dancing through life knowing that you are so very loved. All of that and more, but most of all I wish for you that deep down in your heart you continue to never change.

Happy 5th birthday baby girl, Mama loves you so much!