Dear Joseph,

On June 11th you turned three.  Three, already.  I just don’t understand how time went so quickly.  It seems like one day you were sleeping in my arms, nursing away, weighing just a little under 7 lbs and then suddenly before I knew it you were toddling around, bursting with life and love and curiosity…and now…well, now you’re three.  Where did the time go?

I want to capture you as vividly as I can in words because you are such an amazing little person.  You are so full of life and curiosity.  Every day it’s something new.  You’re always asking questions…  “How do you spell…”  “Why, Mommy?”  “What then?”  Your mind never stops working.  Ever. 

You are an excellent listener, evident by the fact that you remember things I’ve said in passing, months after I’ve said them. 

You are an avid reader, always wanting to explore a new story, a new book…making connections, relating to characters.  You are held captive when a book is open, lost between the pages, thirsty for as much knowledge as you can possibly soak up.

You are an eager learner, always ready for something new, forcing me to expand my knowledge, too (before you asked, I could not have told you more than 3 countries in Latin America nor could I have told you the names of more than a few birds). 

You are cautious and very careful.  Meticulous.  You like things just so.  You have such attention to detail.  Just a few weeks ago, we were reading Head to Toe by Eric Carle and I read the page about the crocodile.  I read, “I wiggle my hips.”  You stopped me and said, “No, Mom, that word is not wiggle…it has an r in it.  It says wriggle.”  Yep, sure enough, you were right.  Then when I went on and read about the parrot and wiggling, you asked me what the difference was between wriggle and wiggle…I had no idea.  We got out the dictionary and learned together. 

You are loving and so very considerate.  You are patient with William, teaching him, guiding him, coaching him along.  You are empathetic, always sensing when someone could use an extra hug or a kind thought. 

I have never met another child like you.  Ever.  You are certainly one of a kind.  A true gift from God.  I thank Him every day for you.  From the moment you were conceived, God has had His hand on you.  I pray that you always, always know God and feel His presence each and every day…that you trust in Him and allow Him to be a guide for your soul.  I pray for you, Joseph, that in your heart, you’re always the way you are today…eager, curious, spellbound by life and all it has to offer.  I love you, my little one.  Happy 3rd Birthday.

Love, Mom