Happy Birthday Henry!

Dear Henry,

Today is your third birthday. I can no longer deny that you are not a baby or that you are just on the cusp of boyhood. Since I am with you so much, I don't notice the changes in you happening, but in retrospect I can see how far you have come in the past year.

You speak in full sentences and have real opinions. You tell jokes that are actually funny. You have friends of your own. You sleep in a bed and use the toilet. You run like the wind, climb like a billy goat and hang from the monkey bars like a circus boy. You attend soccer and gymnastics alone. You sit and read books to yourself and play little made up games without me. You pick out your own clothing, dress yourself and put on your own shoes. You like to get your own snacks from the refrigerator.

The biggest change that has happened in your life this year is that you became a big brother. When I was pregnant, I thought that you would merely tolerate having a sibling. I will be honest and admit that I thought you would have a hard time sharing our attention. I could not have been more wrong. Seeing you and Molly together has been one of my greatest joys in life. Most of the time, you are incredibly sweet to her. You are always hugging her, kissing her and playing with her. I overhear you calling her "sweetie" and telling her you love her. She is the only person in our family that you will say that to unprompted. I hear you encouraging her and coaching her along. It makes me so happy to know that you will always have each other to lean on.

You are a wonderful boy. You are always willing to share your things and help your friends. You never push or hit other kids and are always willing to take turns. You have such a sweet and happy nature and are such a joy to be around. I laugh when you sing your made up songs or change the words to the old standards. I love that you refuse to give me a straight answer when I am asking you a dumb question. Your dancing and guitar playing are hilarious. I love that you told me that the Memory game was "very bad (i.e. boring)" and that you told someone you were seven years old today. Today, Molly was climbing on Daddy and you said, "Molly, that isn't a mountain. It's Daddy's belly!" Really, I can't make the stuff up.

I was watching you and Molly playing in the tub tonight and thinking of the day you were born. Our life changed for the better in that instant. You make us proud every day and we love you so much.