Birthday Boy

Dear Zach,

This week my boy, you turn nine. You will be halfway done with the safe and happy childhood your father and I are striving so hard to give you, halfway “cooked” on your way to that scary and exciting place called adulthood.

How did this happen?

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It seems like just yesterday my water broke almost five weeks early, sending me into a panic coupled with the fleeting hope that maybe somehow I could just keep you in there a little bit longer. My chaser thought was how was Justin going to deal with sharing me?

That one just increased the panic, so I let that go as quickly as it came.

Apparently you didn’t want to share your “birthday month” with anyone else (you were due on my fortieth, obviously not acceptable to you,) so you surprised us with your early debut in the middle of the night.

You were, and are, an incredible gift. And gifts you have in abundance, my boy.

You are gifted with a tenacity of spirit, an ability to overcome any obstacle put in your path.

You are gifted in your depth of your compassion for others, and your unshakeable belief that any bad situation can be made better.

You are gifted in the way you “get” your older brother’s autism, how sometimes you speak for him (and you are usually right.)

You are gifted in your kindness and your generosity of spirit.

You are gifted with an often hilarious take on life around you, a viewpoint I would often miss if you didn’t share your unique world view.

You are gifted in your ability to see your autism as having its challenges, but ultimately being a gift for you.

You are gifted with an incredibly loving soul, and a fierce intellect which never fails to amaze us.

You are a gift unparalled, and we love you with all of our hearts.

We love you so much, happy birthday to my littlest love!

For more on my family visit my blog at autismmommytherapist.wordpress.com
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