Ryan Turns 4!

Can you believe how far this boy has come?

February 19, 2009 - About an hour old, and the first time I laid eyes on him!

February 2010 - 12 months old and one month home!

February 2011 - Two years old

2012 - Three years old 

(and suffering from a closing cor triatriatus membrane, poor boy)

February 2013 - Birthday celebration last week at preschool. 

Counting the candles on the cake. 

Let me tell you something. I was tempted not to attend his preschool birthday celebration. I mean, it was a whole week early and I was slammed last week with preparations for a family weekend getaway plus the normal stuff. I'm SO glad I went. He knew exactly what was going on and LOVED every minute. I was tempted to grab my camera and document every single step (showing his favorite toys, reading his favorite book - of which he "read" half - to his class, putting on the birthday candles, making everyone do 4 things four times, and letting them go through our London Bridge). It was worth every single thing I didn't get done in that measly 1/2 hour I gave up. And every stressful moment of last Tuesday morning.  EVERY. STRESSFUL. MOMENT.  Heck, it was worth every stressful moment of the last four years! He was so dang cute. Instead of pictures, I tried to tattoo it all into my brain so I'd remember it forever.   We're celebrating tonight as a family. Exactly as we do every RSV and Flu-ridden February. More pictures with cake and ice cream to come!

But for now, in case you haven't seen, Children's National, the hospital where Ryan was born, put out a small little video on him to raise awareness for congenital heart disease in time for his birthday this week!  Here's a peak.