Like most mamas, my story begins after many long hours of labor, that today are only a foggy beloved memory. He was as long as he was loud, big hands and eyes and the most kissable lips you ever did see. I've never cried like that. Exhaustion, joy, disbelief and the love, heavy and tingling, sitting on my chest, I was everything and nothing all at once. George Harrison's My Sweet Lord had been playing all week and I can remember hearing it in my head on and off while the room bustled, my baby cried, my husband laughing and holding his face full of emotion, and my doctor rubbing my legs and telling me what a good job we'd done.

The years have felt like a sequel to that moment. Busy, challenging, long drawn out moments dotted with blissful pauses of seeing what we'd created. The getting to know you days that I thought were only temporary have become our collective lives. He changes, we change, we grow more and more in love; how did we get so lucky that he is ours for always? I don't know what life would be like without him, but to even consider it feels like part of me is wretched away. But while he is part of us, he is mostly him, charming and soulful, powerful and playful, loud and loving, fiercely independent and quietly curious. All five years, bringing the wonderful into our lives, thank you boy. Happy birthday son, I hope you remember this one for always. 5, it's such a very big deal.

Christin came into my life just when I needed her. She breezed into Urth Cafe four years ago, glowing with her little belly and halo of golden hair, we shared so much in common, but mostly, she was, and is, one of the kindest people I've ever met. When she and her little family packed up and moved to Utah I was so sad to loose the closeness of a wonderful girlfriend and creative partner. They came to Cali for a family vacation and brought their newest little lady, Mara... I couldn't get to them fast enough. The best kind of friendships, I find, have two important elements : first, they pick up like no time has past at all, and second, they get better with age. Olive family, how I love and miss you. Thank you for being people we get to grow up with, and thank you for sharing this gorgeous girl with me.