William

Happy Birthday my beautiful boy.  

You are four, have been since yesterday, and it's hard for me to believe you don't look like this anymore.  When you were born you were a nice looking baby and I of course thought you were cute, receding hair line and all, but then you turned into the most angelic thing I had ever seen.

You were a mellow baby but before too long your personality began to show and now you are my most passionate boy.  You invest yourself 100% in whatever you are doing.  You love to wrestle, chase, and rough-house.  Your love pats soon turned into wallops and your "greeting hug" turned into a full speed collision.  More than once you have almost knocked down unsuspecting adults with an attack from behind and always seem utterly bewildered when I reprimand you for it, as if you can't imagine someone wouldn't want to be welcomed by the surprise impact of a sprinting child.  But that same physicality which takes it's toll on your brothers and the neighbor children, also brings you into my lap anytime we are close.  When you are hurt, or sad, or in trouble, you only want to be held.  When we read together you love to snuggle.  When we play you frequently come over to lay your head on my shoulder for a few seconds before running off again, you touch my face while we talk, you nuzzle into my neck when we watch a show.  You are the easiest with your I love you's and the most generous with hugs.  So, my apologies to the neighbor children, and to your brothers, and to those unsuspecting adults, but I wouldn't change this about you.  I will take your snuggles, your kisses and hugs, and your I love you's as long as you will give them, and try to be grateful for the thumps and bumps that go with them.  I'm hoping eventually the hugs win out over the bruises.

  In any case, happy birthday to you little boy.  I love you.