Dear Lucas,
I’ll start with a confession. I didn’t write your annual birthday post last year, and so tonight, as you rest in your bed (cause I know you’re not sleeping from all the excitement!) waiting for the clock to turn 6:10 a.m. (the time you’ve declared we all must start our day and the first order of business is opening presents), your daddy reminded me that we just couldn’t let that happen again this year!
You know your coming into the world story almost by heart now. It used to be that I got to tell the story to you, but now, you recite it back, hardly missing a single detail. Even though you were supposed to be a May baby, you justcouldn’t wait. And on April 28,
2013, at about 2:30 in the morning, you wiggled just enough to break my water. The doctor on call told me to wait about six hours to come in, unless active labor started sooner. I didn’t sleep another wink! And at 9:31 a.m, the chubbiest baby boy landed in our lives.
Early on, you earned the nickname Joy to the World and more recently, the title of Loudest Person We Know. But, buddy, don’t ever let anyone tell you that’s a bad thing to be. Some people never learn to live out loud, but you bub, you are full of all the good things in life without any reservation.
Some of my favorite things with you are reading books together (mostly you reading them to me), you learning how to build things with daddy, swinging with Ansley and Reed out back, your love of cheeseburgers, and your absolute pure delight when someone sends you a letter in the mail.
You are an artist and a thinker. You are a lego warrior and short story writer. You love knowing and being known. You are passionate and kind. You are a leader and a helper. You are fully you!
Tomorrow we’ll eat grits for breakfast, hot dogs for lunch, and hamburgers for dinner, per your request. We’ll have a vanilla cake with rainbow sprinkles and rainbow popsicles. You’ll get to play your favorite video game (Lego Jurassic Park), binge read your newly acquired Judy Moody books, and proudly wear your new watch (among other gifts).
We’re excited to celebrate you and love that you are ours. No one I know with greater passion or zest for life. Happiest of birthdays to you!
Love always, Mama (and Daddy)