It's Merritt's fifth birthday today, which means for five years Katie Scot has been showing the world how this mothering thing is done.
She hasn't had the easiest time. His birth was hard-fought, and the years since haven't been perfect. But she has made the best of every day. Since working so hard to bring him into the world, she's kept working to make sure to give that child the best life any kid could have.
She is always up for a game of "store." She honors requests to make stuffed animals from scratch. She revels in building and playing and discovering. She finds art everywhere she looks. She teaches kindness and positivity just by existing. She has the kind of patience I never thought possible in a human.
So, yes, it's Merritt's birthday. The day we celebrate him. But he wouldn't be here without her. So while I fight back tears all day because our baby just keeps growing up, I'll also be thinking about how lucky he is to have Katie as his mother. How lucky we all are to know her.
Because of Katie, Merritt is here. And I am a mother. And we are a family.
