Happy 10th Birthday, Luke Steven.

Dear Luke,

You turned 10 approximately 2 minutes ago (yes, the time is VERY important in our family) and I can't believe how time has flown over the past decade. I know it's cliche to say that, but I don't know a parent who wouldn't agree the same phenomenon takes place in their lives. How on earth did you reach double digits already?

I remember the weeks leading up to your birth. We knew you were a boy and we knew I would deliver you by scheduled c-section, so our doctor asked whether we wanted to have you before September 1, so you'd start school earlier, or after that date, so you'd get an extra year to mature and develop. We chose to wait and we scheduled your birth for Sept. 4.

Also in those weeks, we found out you were breech, that is, turned head up. With as big as the doctor thought you were and as short-waisted as I am, the doctor thought you'd be stuck in that position for the birth. He scheduled a sonogram for the Monday before you were born (you were born on a Thursday). Sure enough, you had your head firmly planted between my ribs and I'm pretty sure you were stretching by pushing between the bones of my pelvis and my ribs. It hurt!!! The day or two before your scheduled birthday, you turned. Trust me, I felt it. When we went in to deliver you, I told the doctor you were not in breech position any longer. "Impossible," he said. "There was no room for him to turn." I insisted you had. Sure enough, when you were delivered, you presented head down. You were a rule-follower from the get-go.

When you were born, I expected a dark-haired baby with an olive complexion, just like your older brother. You surprised me with your blond hair and fair skin, which was scratched from your very, very long fingernails (to this day we have to cut your nails at least once every three to four days). My friend Allison trimmed your nails for me the first night of your life. You had/have! the most marvelous freckles.

You never slept. You never stopped eating. I could never put you down. And how we cuddled and bonded and loved those first months. It was almost like I never gave birth, we were still so attached to each other.

I'm embarrassing you, I know, so I'll wrap this up.

In 10 years, I've watched you turn into a strong, smart, kind boy. I thank God for you daily. You are a natural leader and can organize and motivate a group of people like I've seen in very few people your age. You have such a big heart, organizing the fundraiser for the people in Japan after the tsunami and always, always befriending the kid standing alone on the playground. Your imagination is magnificent and I love how you can turn any object into a toy. I can watch the wheels of your mind turning when you're playing with a stick, a paperclip and a Matchbox car quietly on the kitchen table. I'm proud of how hard you play soccer and how good you've gotten, Luke. You have such natural ability but, more importantly, you've developed amazing sportsmanship. It makes me proud to see you're always the first to offer help, or take a knee, when one of your teammates gets hurt during play. You've got it interesting, Luke, having a brother with special needs. I know you don't see him that way, you just see Curt, and I know God blessed me with a son whose heart and mind is bigger than any diagnosis. I love you, sweet boy, and may the next several decades be as blessed as the first.

Love,

Mommy