Seven

Today is Alex's 7th birthday and, as always, his birthday makes me a bit nostalgic, amazed and grateful all at once.

I am nostalgic because his birth and first years were amazing. He came out into the world quietly and peacefully and sometimes I credit his birth with turning him into the calm and serene kid he is...most of the time.

Amazed because I never could imagine how I could have a son...being one of two sisters myself, boys were, well, mysterious. Nor could I have imagined that a son would "fit" me so well. Alex, to this day, snuggles into me in a way that absolutely feels right. Madeline can be all angles and when she snuggles it is on her terms. Alex, however, just melts into the available spaces and his weight is just right in all the right places.

And finally, I am grateful for who he is. Alex will defend his interests fiercely if he wants to. But more often than not, he is always willing to try to find a compromise. When he was littler I used to feel like I had to ask him if he was really okay with giving up so easily and worried that his desire to avoid conflict would lead to much resentment later in life. Maybe it will. But it is amazing to watch him negotiate for middle ground. And now that he is bigger he is asserting himself more and more and although I hate the fighting, I'm glad to see he has his own "turf."

So...Happy Birthday Alex!