A Little Excited….He Says Every Night

So my little boy turns three, yes THREE, in less than three weeks.

WHERE DOES THE TIME GO?!?!

I remember people saying “it goes so fast” and not believing them.  Even the first year, wasn’t that fast for me.  Perhaps because it was all new to me, coupled with the lack of sleep.  But it really was a tad slow. 

But the past two years….Blink. Of. An. Eye. And they are gone.

GONE.

Seriously, SO FAST.

I showed Henry the video I made for his 1^st birthday and I didn’t recognize him.  VIDEO HERE.

The baby face is gone.  The BABY is gone.  He is this little boy that cracks us up (and pushes our buttons) and he has his own thoughts and is not afraid to share them.

Sigh.

Anywho, we are getting ready for his birthday and this is the first year he gets it.  I mean really gets it.  He know what to expect and that he will be a year older (ok, he thinks he will be 4, but perhaps that is because he acts, talks and is the same size as a four year old).  He knows there will be cake and presents and family.

He GETS it.

And I am loving it.

It is no surprise that I am a lover of birthdays, more importantly MY birthday.  April is my birthday month and I let everyone know it. 

When I had Henry I was excited to celebrate his birthday.  Of course, the first two birthdays were fun, perhaps more fun for me, but fun never-the-less.  And while Henry enjoyed the parties, he didn’t get what it was all about.

And perhaps he still doesn’t fully get that he was born on that day, considering every time I show him his baby pictures he says “that is not me, that is a baby”, but he gets the excitement surrounded around the day that is just for him!!

Last week I decided to make a countdown calendar for his birthday.  I would like to say it was because I knew how much Henry would like it, but really it was because for the past month he kept asking when his birthday was and I was tired of answering the question to a toddler on repeat.  I thought he could now SEE when it was.

After creating it though, I love it and will do it every year.

So we hung it in his room and every night before bed he gets to mark one more day off his calendar.  He then “counts” all the days left until his birthday.  Adorable.

Then, as I rub his back or rock him we talk about his birthday.  I love these conversations, even if it is nearly the same conversation every night.

It usually is something like: (writing this conversation so I don’t forget)

H: “Are you SO excited for my birthday?!”

Me: “I am SO excited!  Are you SO excited for your birthday?”

H: “Yes, I am excited.  Well, I am a little excited.”

Me: “Only a little excited?  Why?”

H: “Well, it is not my birthday yet.”

Me: “Fair enough.  What do you want for your birthday?”

H: “A camel.”

Me: “Oh, ok.  And what kind of cake do you want?”

H: “A green cake.  And I want to put stripes on it like Daniel [Tiger].  And go to the bakery and carry it myself!  That would be fun!”

Me: “Yes it would.  What kind of cake do you want?”

H: “Green.”

Me: “Yes, that is the color but what flavor.  Chocolate or vanilla?”

H: “Green mom.  I told you three times!” (holds up three fingers for dramatic effect.)

Me: “Green it is! Where do you want to eat for your birthday?”

H: “Home.  And I want all my school friends to come over.  That would make them so happy!”

Me: “All your friends?  Who?”

H: “Uh. Lily, Logan, Ms. M., Daniel Tiger, [Curious] George, Poppi, JoJo, Kristen, Josh, Chris & Juan, Issac, Lina, Henry, Mommy, Daddy

Me: “Wow, you want ALL those people?!”

H: “YEAH!”

Me: “Well, we are just have family over, but lets make cookies for you to take to all your friends at school!!”

H: “Yeah.  They will love it and be so happy for my birthday!”

Me: “Yes they will.  I love you my sweet boy”

I love these conversations.  It is so cute hearing him talk about his birthday and seeing the excitement on his face. 

We are not having a big birthday for him, well at least not according to normal Facebook birthday standards - ugh different post for different day, but it will be HUGE for him.  Dinner with family at his favorite place (Mexican of course), a homemade green birthday cake that he can help decorate, family over, and a few gifts….yep, I even found a large plush camel for his one birthday request!!  (Mom success!)  Everything HE wants which is exactly how it should be. 

Sigh.

My heart is full.

I think it is safe to say we are all more than a little excited….

This Article

Suicide.

I have been surrounded by this more than I care.  Just once, is too much.  

Even saying the word makes my stomach drop.

Three times with people I love who thank goodness are still here and have gotten help. Once I cleaned the wounds and took the person to get help.  Once with a friend who lost her father to this.

I know I have been at fault in the past for saying it was selfish for someone to take there own life.  But having known people, it is not that.  It is actually the opposite in many cases, feeling they are making things better not being here.  There is a struggle.  They feel there is no other way.  To feel there is NO other way for you to overcome the depression and sadness....that breaks my heart.  And it is far too common than it needs to be.

This article says it better than I ever could.

READ HERE.

Tell those you love how much you care about them daily.