Happy 7th Birthday Avery!

Wednesday, November 4th

Dear Avery,

Today, you are 7! We've been counting down the days until your birthday for over a month now. Seven seems so much older than six. You've grown 3 inches taller this past year and 3 pounds lighter(but we're working on that). You've matured so much. It's maturity that I can only imagine comes from spending the majority of your time with adults. Your wit and candor are unmatched, and you are constantly bringing smiles and laughs to our house. You still love slime, unicorns, your sisters(most of the time), and scaring people. You also love art, riding bikes, and learning.

Six was a tough year for you. It was filled with chemo, a bone marrow transplant, MRIs, CT scans, relapse, NG tubes, numerous surgeries, time in the PICU, and the beginning of radiation treatment. You've had multiple complications, injections, infusions, and spent well over 100 nights in the hospital.

Six also brought some really good times as well. You had 8 glorious months(starting while on treatment) of clear scans. You were able to spend nearly 6 straight months at home just being a kid. We got to swim, have water balloon fights, go hiking, and take the cross country trip of a lifetime. You finished Kindergarten and started 1st grade. You lost 4 teeth and are currently working on your 5th. You dyed your hair purple and had a hero photoshoot(complete with professional makeup).

You've come such a long way with your anxiety and aversion to all things medical. You've learned things that no child should ever have to know, but that knowledge now allows us to talk through some of the things that worry you. It also puts you in a better position to negotiate for things you want. You still have your spunk and fight! I love that you haven't lost it despite all you have been through, even though it occasionally makes things harder on the rest of us.

You will spend this morning getting radiation and chemo, but we will spend the rest of the day celebrating YOU! You still don't recognize how unfair this whole situation is. No one deserves this battle, but especially not you. One day you will understand that we felt all of the anger, pain and injustice on your behalf, but we would never let our feelings bias yours in any way.

At 7, you are innocent, hopeful, full of joy, and perfect in every way! You are loved beyond measure, and we are so thankful that you are ours!❤