four.

He crawled into my bed this morning with a smile on his face so I sang him Happy Birthday and hugged on him for one point five glorious seconds. 

He told me he was "Finally four!" and that he was hungry too.

He's been waiting to turn four for so long. 

He had Raisin Bran for breakfast, cold pizza for lunch, (as per request) cake for dinner, and a steady stream of family all day. He let Robs open one of his presents and ten minutes after opening a new bat and baseball he caught my eye and said "Thank you for buying this Mom!"

That child is the sweetest four year old pirate I have ever known... and I am the luckiest mother in the world.

Over our second-dinner we decided if it wasn't the very best birthday he'd ever had (minus the original, of course)... it was at least in the top four. 

Happy Birthday Erikboy.

We love you more than ever.