How can it be?  My baby, is 6 years old and will be going to kindergarten this fall.  I am turning into one of those sappy moms that I used to make fun of who cries at everything.

Six years ago from this exact moment I was lying in a hospital bed….annoyed.  It was a Sunday morning, just like today, at Swedish hospital and they were doing construction outside of my window.  At 7:30 am on a SUNDAY morning.  I was also annoyed by the loud snoring coming from the bed next to me where my loving husband was totally oblivious to the noise outside.   I hadn’t slept for more than 24 hours and had just given birth to an 8 pound baby and yet there I was staring out the window at the construction.  I knew it would be one of the last times (for a LONG time) that I could sleep while all of my children would be taken care of and all I wanted to do was SLEEP.  Makai and Tanner were being looked after by Tim and Cora and Jameson had been shipped off to the nursery (because he was the third child and we had now figured out how precious the nursery was).  But slowly my annoyance went away and I vowed to soak in as many moments as I could with this, my last baby.   And that even though I all I wanted to do was sleep, I tried to remember the moment and then I took this picture.  Just so I could laugh about it later.  Six years later and it still makes me smile.

I have tried to be thankful for the middle of the night feedings by singing to him and praying for him and his future.  I have tried to be present more and not let the moments slip by.  And I have tried to be a little less annoyed by the snoring coming from the man next to me.  Because despite the fact that he can sleep through almost anything, he is the most amazing father and partner in life.

I love all of my kids.  However, I love them differently.  They all have unique and different personalities and qualities.  For example, Makai is my kindred spirit.  He and I think alike, have similar interests and quirks.  We get along so well and I enjoy spending time with him.  Tanner is a lot like Chris.  He is silly and funny but he is also very sensitive and tenderhearted.  He says some of the sweetest things and then makes me laugh heartily in the next moment.  Jameson, however, is my sunshine.  Each time I had a baby I thought “will I be able to love this child as much as I love the other one(s)”.  And each time I found that I had just as much love but in different ways.  Jameson makes my heart sing.  I can’t even describe what it is about him that just engages people and makes them happy.  I can’t wait to see how God uses each of their unique gifts in the future.

So Happy Birthday baby boy!  I love you so much and I can’t wait to celebrate with you and your friends today.

Jameson on his birthday 2008-2012

Love, Mom

P.S. I will continue to call you “my baby” for the rest of your life even though you hate it.