You are my sunshine, my only sunshine

Happy birthday Dane !!!

Today you are 3 years old and you are turning into such a great little man. I am so, so proud of you.

You are becoming such a great human being. You are turning into something that I have been molding in my mind and caressing in my heart.

The love of animals is strong in you, young man and although you are a bit rough sometimes with them, I feel in my very soul that you too will grow up understanding that you have to look after everyone, including animals in need.

I remember you being born 2 hours after I coached a soccer game in the snow.

I remember you coming into this world with 'Santa Claus is coming to town' quietly being piped into the surgery room where I had you via c-section.

I remember Dr. Still being dressed in scrubs with little reindeer all over them and I was so, so scared to have you on my own. I was so scared I was crying.

I sucked it up though knowing that I was strong enough to do it alone after your dad passed away.

I remember being so scared that you had to stay in the nursery overnight cause you were so tiny but you wanted to come out of your cocoon just a bit 'early' and start getting to know me and your big sister.

The first time that I held you in my arms was almost magical.

You looked at me with such an intensity in your eyes that I knew instantly we would all be ok.

I remember coming home and grabbing you and hugging you on the couch after I was first diagnosed with cancer.

I fed you and held back tears wondering if I was going to see you grow up.

It was then that I realized that I loved you to the absolute bottom of my soul and I was going to do whatever I need to do, to be there for you.

At 6 months old, you sat in the bath-tub with me for hours at a time. You loved splashing around and I need to alleviate my 3rd degree burns from having radiation.

It was a 'win-win' situation. Your smile made me go out to the store when I felt like 'shit' to get you a bumble-bee costume so you could go out trick-or-treating with your big sister.

You won all of the hearts of the nurses and doctors at the cancer clinic and they gave you a gold star too when I was all done with my treatment.

You empower me to become a better person and for that I am grateful.

You have shown me the wonderful mind of a child and the most endearing of hearts. You have a wonderful soul and a beautiful love of all things alive.

I have hopes for you and I have dreams for you because I love you. It is as simple as that.

It amazes me how quickly 3 years has gone by. It seems just like it happened a moment ago and all time stands still.

You have taken up such a large chunk of my heart without even asking for it. It just was what it was.

I would like to make just one wish for you on your 3rd birthday and I hope it comes true.

My wish has nothing to do with the amount of money you will make later in life nor does it have to do with the car you drive nor the house you live in.

My wish for you is that you continue to be 'just who you are' because this is what is important at the end of the day.

You lay at my feet right now wrapped in your 'blankie' while I'm doing the blogging thing and I'll finish up and gently carry you to bed and tomorrow we'll wake up and maybe find a hill and go and make some snow angels.

Happy Birthday Sweetie ..

Love Mom