Dear Aidan

21st September 2009

I love you with all my heart.

I adore you and everything that you say and do.

I am in awe of you.

I am ever so proud of you.

You make me smile, beam with pride with everything you do, how you play and sing, and how you think.

I am the luckiest person to be given this responsibility.

You are loved tremendously, with all my heart.

You have grown in me and with me.

I believe in you and your endless possibilities. dream big and reach for the stars. you can be absolutely anything and i wish only the best and all the good things for you.

********

When passing a cake shop/bakery a week before your birthday 21st September 2009, close to 6pm.

You said to me, "mama, we ga naar daar" (in your broken dutch pointing to the bakery with one hand while holding my hand on the other.)

I then replied, "the shop's closing aidan its almost 6, we'll go in some other time k? lets just

look from the window to see what they've got"

We moved to the window and gazed at each cake in slow motion...

"mama, ni cake aidan?" (you asked me in your mengechek tone)

I then said, "tak... bukan..."

After a long pause, you then leaned against the window and pointed at the other one.

"yang ni?" (hoping i'd say yes, that's the one)

"pon bukan. its a sample cake. it belongs to the shop"

You then took another step closer to the 3rd cake.. (there were more than 8 along the window!)

"kijk mama, dora!............ ni cake aidan?"

"aidan nak cake?" (silly mama for asking!)

"nak!?!" (you looked up to me full with hope)

"do you want me to bake one for you?" (i planned to make you one, i even bought a special tray for it!)

"aidan nak yang ni.....nak yang ni please....." (you pointed at the cake on the truck in a very very slow and sad voice)

"ok.. we'll get you a cake next week for your birthday k?"

The next day when you were at school, i went to the cake shop and ordered the one that you wanted. it was that cake ontop of a long truck with cars underneath. it costs 40 euros. 5 days later we then went to pick up the cake. just you and i. and the expression on your face was priceless when you saw your cake all ready with your name on it. your eyes lit up and i could see all your teeth when you looked up and smiled at me.

We headed to the car, happily. I opened the door for you and you hopped onto your seat. i then put on your seatbelt and you grabbed my hand and clutched and hugged it and said "sayang mama". and of course i then cried kissing your forehead. i'd do and pay anything to make you happy (within my means of course!).

Hope you've enjoyed your parties. we know you enjoyed blowing the candles on your cake and playing with the truck. we really enjoyed your cake! thank you for making me the happiest and luckiest mother to have you in her life.

Happy 3rd Birthday Aidan. no words can express how much i love and adore you. let's live now and look forward to many many good, happy, exciting and meaningful birthdays to come!

I love you with all my heart, (and so does papa!)

mama xxx