It startles me - to look at you as you are and remember how you were and how you tucked up so neat and small and warm beneath my breast.  Now, I hug you and my cheek is in your hair and your shoes are bigger than mine and I can't even believe that whisper of a mustache creeping in above your smile.

There is a brilliance about you that I work hard to keep shined.  Remember how scared I was when I first sent you off to school?  How frightened I was that your sweetness would welcome bullies?  Life has hardened you some - squared off the curved gentleness of your edges - but it shows it's face in moments of a momma's need because you're wise enough already to know when I need you to be soft, when I need that hug to last just a moment longer.  

I can't even begin to imagine where this world will take you...what you will do with your life...who you will become...but I can't wait to see!

I wish you wild dreams, great love, fearless joys, and endless success.  

Happy Birthday, Zander! I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be... The easiest thing about being your mother is loving you.  You have my heart.  Take it with you everywhere.