Happy 5th Birthday, Brody!

Dear Brody,

Today was a day I likely won't forget anytime soon. You see, on this very day you have officially been part of our family for five whole years, really five years and a bunch of months if you count all the time you spent cooking in my belly! What a fantastic five years we have had together! You bring so much joy and life to our little world, and I can hardly remember what my days were like before you were in them. You are strong, spunky, and smart as can be! You constantly keep us on our toes, and I wish I could bottle all that energy you've got so I would feel like I might actually be able to keep up with you. :)

Right now, you love knights and dragons, superheroes, and pretend play of all sorts. You love to be outside on all sorts of adventures, and you are an expert at organizing games on the playground with any number of new "friends" you've only just met. You are brave, yet you can be shy when strangers try to speak to you. You can also be timid about trying out new things that you find a little scary, like the big waterslide at the Edina Pool (although you have been jumping off the diving board ALL by yourself all summer!) You love to go go go, and I find that our best times are spent when we are out and about, experiencing the world and learning together. You have become such a big helper, and you absolutely adore taking care of your baby brother.

Today was a great day! Since we are leaving for our big trip to Hawaii tomorrow, we decided to let you cash in the money you've been saving so that you can buy some fun souvenirs and treats while we're on vacation. Looking back, I can remember the day we received a funny looking object in the mail a year or so ago. We couldn't believe that a coconut could actually be shipped to our doorstep! We soon discovered that it was more than just a coconut--it was a bank, and Grandma and Grandpa had mailed it to you so that you could save your money for our trip together this summer. You went right to work, enlisting the help of any of us who had any extra change to spare. You were great at saving, and it totally paid off! We were all shocked to discover just how much money you'd been keeping in that hollowed out shell. Today we met Daddy at his office, went to lunch, and then headed over to the bank to trade in your change for some cash. You loved every minute of it, and I know you'll have fun picking out lots of goodies in Hawaii.

I hope that your birthday was a special and memorable day for you. We certainly enjoyed sharing it with you. Cheers, Mr. Brodan T. Smith, and best wishes for many more fun-filled and blessed birthdays. We love you to the moon and back, to infinity and beyond, more than words can say!!

Love,

Mommy