Happy 7th Birthday Rainer!

Here's my baby...all grown up and blowing out his candles *shriek*

And there was no birthday cake this year. Instead I made a HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOX so all the presents were inside. I pushed the candles into a piece of styrofoam, then placed it on top and hoped it wouldn't fall and set the whole thing on fire!!!!

Rainer got a whole NEW set of Bob the Builder toys, plus Buzz and Woody. We still cannot find a new Spud, who has sadly lost a leg in an unfortunate accident with an esky {insert sad face}.

And of course, the traditional post lunch cricket match. Rainer is a much better bowler than batter.

So what does turning 7 mean??
It means we've been on this journey to healing for just over 4 years now. To say you've progressed is an understatement.
What most parents take for granted,
I take
and CELEBRATE.
You are more aware of the world around you;
you want to be involved in life;
you enjoy playdates;
you discriminate by choosing toys to play with, by setting up your environment for your scenarios, by selecting a few toys from each box and creating a world, rather than simply recreating a DVD scenario.
When you saw us struggling to unwrap the Bob toys from their packaging, you ran inside and brough the kitchen scissors to us --- WOW!!

I still cry each day, but more from sheer RELIEF than grief.
And to think, if I'd been satisfied with what some doctors had said all those years ago, you would not be the beautiful, energetic, delightful boy you are today, and are still yet to become.
I see your potential and I'll bloody well fight for it!!!

Happy Birthday my sweet Prince Rainer. xoxo