On this very special day, I now look back and remember these past 12 years ...
You beat all the odds in those first days in the hospital and came home earlier than anyone expected it. You ate, and laughed, and demanded, and grew pretty much without a concern that you were early and you had to chill to make up for some time. You plowed right on through, head first, towards life, without fear or reservation! Just with infinite courage and gusto.
You visited more countries in your first two years of life than I visited in my first twenty! You crossed The Atlantic, and drove almost the entire Eastern seaboard of the US. You scraped your knees, and played, and ate, and learned, and grew some more …
Then, you got to became a big brother. After the couple of so months of feeling left out, maybe, you learned fast how to manage that competition. And you decided it was not a competition at all. You learned to love and protect your little brother pretty much like everyone hoped, only more.
Then, there came the Lego phase. And then the Skylander phase. Then the boy scout phase, and the fishing and camping one (I hope these last ones stick around for a while!). Now, the Harry Potter one! And it goes on ...
You somehow figured out almost instinctively how to unconditionally love people, animals and the environment. You are always willing to go the extra mile to support those you love and to be kind to those in need. I will never forget how, with your brother, you donated your money to the Australian fires. Before then, when you were wee big, you stopped in the middle of the street to pick up a doll for a little girl who had dropped it. Your empathy only grew with you …
We have watched you grow, and become this amazing human being, considerate, kind, incredibly talented with an uncanny patience to learn and evolve.Yet, still a child. Still innocent and full of life.
Who would have thought that that baby, so little he could fit in almost two large palms will one day teach himself how to write music and computer programs? That he would teach himself how to cook and install and troubleshoot software for anyone, including his teachers? That he would want to learn how to do complicated magic tricks, and stone carve, do woodworking, and even knit? Your qualities are many and I love you for them all. But if I had to pick one thing that amazes me always about you is your insatiable curiosity. I hope you keep that forever, sweet boy!
Through it all, through all your maturity and savviness, you remained this beautiful, wide-eyed kid, that busted up his head a year or so ago, and twisted an ankle. You say cute things now like “Thank you for creating me in creative mode” and “maybe my manners are now in quarantine, too.” Now, we chat on Discord and Facebook messenger and you write me beautiful cards for my birthday. You draw beautifully and you sold your first poster. All this seems surreal, too. I still want to somewhere find that little helpless baby, born 12 years ago, and although I can still see him in your eyes and smile, that baby is long gone. You’re what I call a “real human” now.
Now, more than the first day when I knew you existed, and even more than the day you were born, I love and cherish you and thank God you’re in our lives! For everything you are, and everything you have given us.
Thank you for the many memories, Mr. Patrick. Thank you for teaching us how to discover the world with you. Thank you for making me an aunt. And more than anything, thank you for the laughs! I cannot imagine what the next 12 years will bring us (I would not even dare), but my curiosity is as big as yours to find out!
Happiest of birthdays, my love! Many hugs, sweet buddy, and infinite love from the USA!
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