The 25,000-pound birthday present

Wake up and present Max with his very own fire extinguisher: check! Max is gleeful; we put it behind the door in his bedroom. He doesn't have the fine-motor skills to yank out the pin, so I'm not worried about him trying to put out imaginary fires with it...yet.

Present him with A Book About Fireman Max that I made on Snapfish that consists entirely of photos of him wearing the Fire Chief hat (per his request), then read it five times in a row: check!

Sabrina gives him a collage she has made featuring printouts of photos of his favorite truck, Ladder 31, along with a card she has written noting that he is going to be the best firefighter ever: check! Also: swoon!

Max informs me that he would also like a very, very, very big photo of his favorite truck: check!

Kiss him repeatedly before I run out the door to work and feel grateful that his cheeks are still deliciously chubby and that he still lets me kiss him lots: check!

Tell him "I love you birthday boy" and he corrects me "No! Fireman Max!": check!

Get all teary on train while re-reading post about my dreams for him: check.

Arrange to have pizza sent to his school for lunch and feel guilty I can't be there because I am at the office: check!

In the afternoon, Sabrina calls to tell me that Max needs a very, very, very large photo of Ladder 31 because he made her call: check!

Arrive home from work with very, very, very large photo of Ladder 31 and Max gives me a huge hug and says "Ahh-eee irth-ay to ME!": check!

Wonder what time Firefighter Angelo is showing up to wish Max a birthday, because he said he would, and whether he will be in a fire truck: check!

At 7:10, spot flashing lights at the end of our block, get really excited and announce, "Max! Someone is coming to visit you!": check!

Watch Max watch in amazement and squeal as truck pulls up to our house: check!

Do my best to prevent him from tumbling down the stairs as he rushes to the front door: check!

I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I can't....

Escort him outside and then Firefighter Angelo lifts him up into the cab of the truck so the two of them can hang out in the seats, like they always do: check!

Feel overcome with gratitude since Firefighter Angelo has also offered to pick him up and drive him to his birthday party on Sunday, and feel all warm and fuzzy that there are people like Firefighter Angelo in this world: check!

Hug Max when the truck puts its siren on for five seconds, because even though he asked for it the sound still makes him a little jumpy: check!

After the truck leaves, replay what happened over and over: check!

Lie awake in bed wondering what's going to go down on Sunday when Firefighter Angelo and a few other guys pick him up in Ladder 31—and how we will ever be able to give Max another birthday as awesome as this: check!

Wonder whether I, too, will get to ride in the fire truck: c-h-e-c-k!!!