This sweet boy of ours celebrated his 6th birthday last week. 6?! Was it not just yesterday he surprised us by arriving 3 weeks early? And now I can not imagine a day without our Eli. This eldest of ours-he holds all of our hearts.
This year was the first year we decided to opt out of doing a big celebration. It felt a little strange at first, but just us, celebrating all together, was a new kind of special. Of course we mixed the new tradition with lots of the old too. The last few years, we've started a family tradition of decorating the boy's bed while they sleep the night before their birthday. Lucky for me, this guy sleeps like a rock. (He's really in there, tucked in, I assure you.)
Waking up 6 years old!
This year he had one big wish-a pony ride. Luck was on our side, because when I called to schedule a 30 minute trail ride at Lang's Pony Farm I discovered they just happened to be holding a half-day Pony Camp on the 21st. After a birthday breakfast (always, always dutch babies for this guy), we headed off to the farm. I don't know how many more years he's going to let me tag along and happily comply with my requests for photos, and knowing that makes this even sweeter to me.
And keeping with our family birthday traditions (Surely it can't be possible to have too many of those, don't you agree?) I stuck around just long enough to snap this picture at 12:28. Six years ago at the exact time was when Eli took his first breath and made us parents. Just after I caught this moment, he looked over at me-all grins, and happily waved goodbye. Bittersweet these moments, I tell you. The ones when I swell with pride at his confidence and surity of himself, and then my heart simultaneously breaks realizing he doesn't need me. I suppose a mama is never ever ready for her child not to need her.
The rest of the day was filled with more favorites-pizza for dinner and a chocolate cake for dessert. A chocolate cake with a tractor on it, please was the specific request. However, this mama may have forgotten the tractor-but no worries on was unearthed and added post haste by the birthday boy himself. Funny thing about that tractor...I stepped out on the porch for a minute and I heard Emmett explain, "Mom! The tractor is pushing the mud!" With a little help from him, it certainly was..straight through the middle of the cake. Fortunately, this grown up 6 year old of mine has developed a good deal of patience for the types of assistance his little brothers sometimes provide.
My heart is so full with all the joy he has brought into our lives in 6 years and I can't help but smile as I think ahead to all the wonders this next year will bring. Happy, happy birthday sweet Eli!
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