to my sullivan on his fifth birthday

oh my sweet valentine,

You are so full of love, I always smile just thinking about you being born on Valentine's Day-your mama's least favorite holiday and bringing all the love into my heart.  

You are so sweet.  Sometimes I can't even think of other things to say about you because you are, SO sweet.  

You have the sweetest softest voice ever and I can just drift off into lala land as you chat away to me about everything.  BUT for some reason your only other voice YELLING!  You crack me up with how you can go from one to the other with zero middle ground.

You love touch.  You crawl in bed with me in the wee morning hours about 4 times a week and you just curl up to me and weave your fingers through my hair.  I'm so happy you are always up for me to rub your back or stroke your hair.  

You love your brother so much.  Practically worship the ground he walks on...even though you get beat up quite a bit.  No matter what he does to you, you are always ALWAYS thinking of him and wanting to show him you are his biggest fan.

You love your sister so tenderly.  Even though there is 3 years between you, you PLAY with her and you both have your silly games you play every day when Barclay is at school (aka pushing each other face first onto our mattress and laughing your head off).     

You love following me around and helping me.  We cook together, clean together and just generally have a sweet time doing life together.  You start kindergarten in the summer and although I KNOW you will love it, I will miss having our special time.  

You are an artist.  You spend HOURS a day drawing and coloring.  Our summer babysitter Sylvia would sit for hours and hours drawing out all your hearts desires and then you would cut them out.  

You're simple and I'm so thankful.  I never feel like I have to figure you out.  You're steady and peaceful........UNLESS you are hungry!  Or should I say, hANGRY.  

You loose your ever living mind when you haven't consumed a ridiculous amount of food in the past 2 hours.  You loose the ability to speak english or walk.  It is quite something.  We share this hANGRY thing and I often laugh (after the fact) at how you act out the way I feel sometimes.  

You are quiet and unassuming but you are incredible at physical things.  

This fall we were in the YMCA pool and Barclay wanted to pass the hard and long swim test...you decided you wanted to try at 4 years old and I told you that you were too little.  Your daddy was quick to swoop in and negate my confining words and goodness if you didn't just pass the test but you did it twice as fast as Barclay did it!  

I say it every single year but I it rings so true to me.  Sullivan, you are the very best balm to my heart.  You make me feel like I am the most beautiful and wonderful mama in the world.  You are such a treasure to our family.  Your hearty laugh, deep brown eyes and your smile which melts even the coldest of hearts is such a gift every single day.  

With so much love I feel I could burst,

Your Mama