Five

Palo,

You turned five today. You wore your orange shorts to school because that is your most favorite color right now, and Mr. Mark made you an orange crown to wear there, at least during morning snack time. That's when your class had the birthday cake Oreos that we'd brought in for the occasion. We had a birthday cake--the traditional Ekkers birthday cake--at home after school and you opened Aunt Kate's present, and said, "Star Wars Legos! Stormtroopers!" You are old enough to know what a stormtrooper is. . .

This morning, the air was heavy and full the way it can be when it's aching to rain and I thought then about how that's a bit how the air felt the morning you were born when we were leaving to go to the hospital. (I also remember sliding my feet into my Reef flip flops--the orange ones.)

While we were eating cake, you said "Thanks for making cake." I said, "Thanks for being born." You asked what being born meant. (Of course you did.) I said "Arriving in the world," while Daddy chortled no doubt at my avoidance of a more scientific explanation. (Of course he did.)

Anyway--it's true! You arrived in the world five years ago today, and made everything about our little bit of it better.

You're amazing, Palo.

Love you always,

Mommy