You will be five years old on Sunday.  A party with school friends and family. I try to make sense of this event, the time passing…Its already been five years? ..and also….so much life has happened: only five years? You were born on a cold rainy day at Sutter Hospital.  I got there in time to see your birth, to watch daddy bathe you and cut your cord.  Auntie Robin came, too and Janis and of course your daddy.  You made the sun come out, the stars shine more brightly, and when evening came, the moonlight blessed you.  You were a special gift, buddy.  And you still are.

On your first birthday, you lived in Capitola and played at the Cabrillo College Infant Center where you walked for the first time at 16 months. On your second birthday, you lived in Bonny Doon and we had a tea party. On your third birthday we had your party at a pizza place on the westside and played at a park and last year, you were in Montana. And today, the end of your 5th year, you live with Grandpa and me in Bonny Doon.  We all just moved back to our old fixed up house, brought sister Liza too, but not Mommy. (only Dad, for now)

So many changes, little losses, big ones and many good things, too, Through it all you have a developed a full and rich imagination; an emerging set of stories, characters and events to explore complex questions, confusion and set the stage for understanding. You show us how to heal.

Mommy was a dinosaur, she got eaten by a T-Rex, but its okay because Grandma Diplodocus took you to her house in the jungle.  Baby Liza was lost, but you found her and brought her to your nest and taught her how to sit on eggs until they hatch. And then never leave them because predators might get the babies.

So many lessons, acted out and drawn in hundreds of ink drawings, with big puffy characters, curly tails and active lives in tree-filled scenes. 

You are Jane Goodall, saving animals in Africa, a hiker reaching the steepest of cliffs, the deepest of lakes and hardest places to get to at Echo Lake, a boat captain and a builder.  And you draw it all.

Me and Liza at the dock I show her how to swim in the lake.

You are amazing.  Loving. Kind. Curious. A friend. Brilliant and a dear boy. Happy Birthday, buddy.  Gma