Dear Grayson,

Happy Birthday! I hope you realized today was your special day and felt extra loved today. Your siblings sang to you and hugged you this morning, and we sent. you to school with cookies for your teachers and classmates to celebrate. Food and treats are so central to birthdays, and it makes me so sad that you aren’t able to eat them. You were in a great mood when you got home from school, and everyone was delighted to see that your teacher had decorated your wheelchair with balloons and streamers, and you were wearing a Happy Birthday ribbon on your shirt.

Each of your birthdays is a reminder of how very lucky we are to have you here. Your life is so precious and fragile, but you are also so tough. The world is most definitely a better, gentler place because you are in it.

You’ve had a busy year, sweet boy. Since your last birthday, you:

• Completed kindergarten, which you totally rocked. You started first grade a few weeks ago at another new school and so far, it’s been a really easy/great transition.
• Lost 4 teeth and have 3 permanent teeth and an adorable hole in your mouth
• Had fundoplication surgery and switched back to a G-tube from years on a GJ tube. You still retch a lot, but no more vomiting! Yay!
• Became an advocate for protecting the rights of people with disabilities to have healthcare in this country. Literally millions of people have heard your story.
• Started consistent therapy at home 4x/week. You amaze me at your stamina- you go to school all day and immediately do therapy when you get home. You work so hard and are making great progress!

Grayson Robert, being your mom is the greatest joy of my life. You have changed me in both subtle and dramatic ways, and I thank you for that. Happy Birthday sweet G- 7 is going to be the best year yet!

Love,

Mommy