Happy 14th Birthday Samuel for the 9th of August!!!!

Dearest Samuel,

I know that you now like to get called Sam but you will always be Samuel to us! How I love your smile and how proud we are that you are our son!

The past 14 years have gone very fast. From the day you were born, our lives changed. Such a sweet baby, and a bright bright little boy. As you know, we still have the original answering machine message that you recorded on our phone...'Thanks for calling Kate, Staaan, Samuel, Zacawee and Bwonte. Please leave a message after all the beeps....there's quite a few. Bye." I love it. It is in your bestest 4 year old voice and I remember the day we recorded it. I wrote it down and you read it out. We only had to record twice. And now, 10 years later, it is still on our phone. I can never imagine taking it off although some people try to encourage it!

You have had your share of troublesome times from operations to schooling issues but come through them all so wonderfully, from a sick little boy, you are now a healthy young man (and yes! you WILL get tall soon!!!). You began reading at the age of 18months - funny thing is, at the time, we thought all kids did that! All without any prompting from us. I was wayyyy too busy with you and your little brother Zachary to school you in ANYTHING! - After all, there is only 14months between you both.

You have so many lovely lovely friends, a true testament to your niceness. I am very proud of you for that - now if only you could be that nice to your siblings all the time!!!

I love how you have achieved so well academically, I love how you love dancing and love music. I love how you and your friend Hayley, DJ at little kids parties and get paid for it! I love how you enter online design competitions and get paid for it! I love that you have some direction in life (so far!). I love you!!!!

Happy 14th birthday Samuel Andrew!