Happy birthday to my monkey....

Tomorrow is my sweet little Briar's SIXTH birthday. I cannot believe how much he's grown and how much joy and love he has brought to my life. He is such a funny and thought-filled little guy. His questions never cease to amaze me from his sleepy, "Mama, do horses have uvulas?" to his "If the Earth is round, why doesn't the ocean pour off the bottom?"
Walking with Briar reminds me so much of his daddy. It's slow. Painstakingly slow. He doesn't walk. He meanders. He inspects. He climbs. He pokes. He collects. By the end of a walk, my pockets are FILLED with small pieces of metal, heart-shaped rocks, feathers, and live bugs. His hands are filthy and grasping an assortment of twigs and objects too large for my pockets.
Briar gives hugs and kisses like no one I know. His hugs are big, heart-felt embraces that could very likely pop the head off of someone too frail to know his strength or if I have failed to warn him that he must be gentle with the recipient of his love. His kisses are so soft and gentle that it is surprising to me that the same person can deliver such forceful hugs.
Although he and his sister can fight like they are two warring countries, if he is hurt or scared, she is often the first he seeks out. At night, they rarely sleep apart and I often am brought to tears as I watch them sleep with arms gently draped over the other's neck gently breathing into their sibling's face.

Today as I asked him a few questions about his past year and what will happen when he turns six (he no longer has to take the animal name swimming lessons he is so offended by - turtle, duck, etc. He has graduated to the numbered lessons), I was struck my the desire to record these desires, dreams and musings. I hope to remember to do this for both of them the night before each birthday and see how these thoughts change or stay the same in the coming years.

I/he wrote:

The Night before My _6th_ Birthday:

Name: ________Briar________ Date: ____May 28th, 2012_______

Height: __125.5cm____Weight: ___27.4kg____

My favourite colour:___orange___________

My favourite food: ____cake___

My favourite animal: ____deer________

My best friend/s: __Camille, Yaya (Liv), Rainen and Mommy______

My favourite event in the past year: __My birthday party_______________________


If I could do anything during my day, I would: _ride my skateboard_______________



When I grow up, I want to live (where): _not where big frogs or snake-fish live_______


When I grow up, I want to be: ____in the Coast Guard or a mechanic__________________


In the coming year, I hope to: ____build a treefort.