Happy Birthday, Son!

24 years ago today, your Dad and I were working very hard together to help you be born. It was not an easy labor, but when you were finally born near 1:30 PM, you looked like you had had the harder time of the three of us, and I anxiously waited for you to cry after they had wrapped you and placed you into my arms. You just snuggled, until I finally asked if you were ok.

The nurse gave a little laugh and said, 'He's fine! Just quiet... but he is fine! We would not be here if he wasn't!'.... and the nurse in me said... oh, right! and relaxed while the mother in me just held you and patted you on the back.

You crawled EARLY, and by six months, I had to teach you how to come DOWN the stairs after you kept insisting on going UP the stairs. By seven months, you pulled yourself up by the tables and chairs, and by eight months, you walked holding one hand. Uncle Dave had a 'heart to heart' talk with you about needing to walk SOON, because he told you...'Your mother walked early, and if you don't get moving, you will let a GIRL beat you!'

I thought ...thanks a lot!

We got you a new pair of shoes (in those days, babies wore those white high top, hard soled shoes), and I put them on you, and just for fun, put you on the floor, standing up. You had been able to do this for short times in bare feet, so I wondered what you would do...

You let out a LOUD AH HAH, and pivoted!! Several moves with one foot and you were facing away from me, let out another whoop....and took off! You were giggling, I was screaming, thinking you were going to fall, running after you, and then I realized... YOU WERE WALKING! At eight months, one week! Oct 26, 1982.... And you have not sat still since.

You learned to crawl up on the kitchen chairs shortly after, and one day I walked into the kitchen from the living room to see you ON THE TABLE reaching for the chandelier-style light! It was fun from then on, trying to keep you off the table and the cupboards... NOT.

You wore out more tape recorders listening to Bible Story tapes at night as you fell asleep. You loved Dan and Louie tapes the best.

And because of family circumstances, you often had to walk home from kindergarten (five blocks, but a long way for a little one...and I felt so bad that I needed to sleep after working the night shift...

And then came the day that you came racing down the hall yelling at the top of your lungs... "MOOOOOMMMMMM, I CAN REEEEEEEEAADDDDDDDDD!" And you read to me...

You had always liked me reading to you, but now, you also wanted books from the li-berry, and the ones you liked the most were Curious George!

You were so proud of making your First Communion, and just beamed as we took pictures!

Family circumstances again made life for you a little more difficult than for some others, but you have grown up to be a tremendous young man. Through two major hip surgeries, even learning the hard way to be courteous, not demanding in the long weeks of recovery... and the SECOND time, stubbornly getting yourself out of bed and into your wheelchair to show ME... while in the full body cast!

Dependable through High School, always going to class on time (well... once I got a call when your ride did not show up.....you were missing from school, because... you would not go late...lol) and both of us so proud when you handed me your Diploma...

I am so very proud of my son. It seems like yesterday that you were born, in many ways. While life was not easy for you always, you have had the courage to grow into a very kind and loving, dependable person. There is nothing you cannot do, if you put your mind to it ... (well, running a Marathon may be a bit hard on the hip, but you know what I mean... grin).

Your name means Gentle, Noble One. And you are that, for sure.

I love you!

Mom