Six Years Old!

My precious Ben, 

I can't believe it's already been six years since you blessed our lives.  Your entrance was not ideal.  We prayed for your very survival, then our hearts broke daily watching you endure so much pain and discomfort, but you not only survived, you thrived and flourished.  Your birth made you a fighter and the strongest little person I've ever met.  This will serve you well in life.

Your first birthday passed in the airport in Toyko, mostly lost after crossing the international date line.  After just one year, the pain of that day was still too fresh in my memory to allow for any celebration.  Instead, we just quietly celebrated YOU and the fact that you were so healthy and such a joy.

Your second birthday was a fun celebration with Singapore playgroup friends and your last as an only child.  This year you were old enough to enjoy cake!  You were growing up fast in so many ways but still had those sweet baby cheeks.  Two days later you proved you were still a tough, strong boy when you broke your arm and barely shed a tear.

Your third birthday was a wonderful party in our new house, complete with your first ice cream cake (no small feat in a tropical country!)  Your only request on your birthday was to get to ride the bus, so we hopped a double decker and had french fries at KFC on Orchard Road together.

We celebrated your fourth birthday in the southern hemisphere, probably the only time your May birthday will be in the winter.  It was Thomas the Train day at Caversham and you played with your friends and enjoyed the carnival. 

It wasn't until your fifth birthday that you were in Texas again on the big day!  You said it was your favorite birthday yet because you got to see all your grandparents that week and then got to enjoy them frequently all through the summer.  After four years away, it was a real treat to be just an hour away from them.

 
Now at six years old, your life has been pretty equally divided between living in America, Singapore, and Australia.  I love that all of your experiences have molded you into such an amazing, unique little boy.  You are thoughtful and gentle, funny and rambunctious, and so clever that you still surprise me almost every day with the things you think.  You're still about as skinny as the day you were born, but you're healthy and growing so we don't worry about it anymore.  Your imagination is endless and I hope that never changes.

Happy birthday, Ben!  Thank you for all the joy, love, and laughter you bring to our lives every day.