3 years

At 10:22pm three years ago today, Aaron joined our family. Doubles is three...my sweet Dubs is three. Maybe if I keep saying it, I will believe it.

He is a miracle...literally, a miracle. His was a long and emotionally exhausting pregnancy, with continuous prayers for his safe and healthy arrival. After hours of labor, my contractions ceased. I was concerned...wondering if it was possible to "un-dilate". Amy Knox, my nurse midwife, sent me to the the tub with the following, "You have had a difficult pregnancy and have come to trust that this baby is safe inside of you. Until you're confident that the baby will also be safe outside of you, you will never birth this child." Shortly thereafter, we were cuddling our second son.

His third birthday has been an entire weekend celebration. He selected his chocolate cake with fudge frosting and funfetti sprinkles from the grocery shelves at CUB. While Collin was at school on Friday, Aaron, Nolan, and I baked it. Friday night, after dinner we sang, "Happy Birthday", while he attempted to extinguish the trick candles. "They're back!" Adam finally had to take the cake to the sink, remove the candles with a tweezer, and toss them in water to get them out. Interestingly, after the pieces were cut and distributed, he refused to eat even a single bite, saying, "yucky!" I remember feeling the same way about birthday cake.

Bright and early Saturday morning, Aaron opened his birthday presents. Magna tiles from Adam and I...and a pipe cleaner squirrel on hot air balloon wrapped in newspaper from Collin.



Last night, after a trip to Target for Aaron's new big kid booster car seats, we went to Nick and Willy's for Canadian bacon pizza and complimentary N and W's birthday pie. Today, his actual birthday, we spent the day relaxing at home. This morning we marked his height on the tree in the playroom and did the car seat shuffle. We let him play Super Mario Brothers on the Wii with Collin, which is his new favorite pastime. He received phone calls and birthday serenades from Grandpa and Grandma EIO and Auntie Ellie, who celebrated her 31st birthday today. He also received two letters in the mail, one from Nana Splash and one from Mac and Cheesio (Maxine and Linda) with the following blessing, "You sweet child of God are sunshine, especially when you smile. I pray you keep smiling so the world has more light in it!".

Amen. Happy Birthday...my sweet, sweet son.