happy birthday to my great big five-year-old!

oh, atticus.  what would i ever do without you?  who would i even be?  you made me a mom; you got me started in this crazytown adventure park of mothering.

i know i'm not great at it.  i know you know i'm not great at it.  but you have such a heart to obey and serve, even though you know how badly i screw things up.  you're so gracious with me.

what can i say that sums you up?  you're such a helper.  you look for opportunities to lighten my load.  you are (usually) affectionate with your siblings.  you like to enforce the rules, even when it's not necessarily your job to do so.  you're silly. you're quiet.  you are too observant to be impulsive.  you love sweets.  you willingly eat vegetables.  you requested pasta alfredo, of all things, for your birthday dinner.  your best friend is your sister, and you're usually really considerate and kind to her.  (it's a two-way street, right?)  you are so gentle and sweet to laurelai.  you want to be a 'construction guy' when you grow up.  you love to dance and sing.  you like wrestling with your dad.  all your jeans are too short.  you love jesus, which makes me happier than anything else ever could.

nothing you will ever do will make me love you more than i do now.  nothing you will ever do will make me love you less than i do now.  you're perfect for me and i wouldn't trade you for anything, ever.

love you, darlin'! happy golden birthday!