Twenty-five years ago today, my first-born entered this world and forever changed my life. Happy birthday, son!
1. I used to get so mad when people would ask me if my newborn baby was a "good baby." Really, people, what other kind of baby is there? I knew they really meant, "Does he sleep well at night?" The answer was "NO!!!" In my sleep-deprived state, I took the question personally. How dare anyone insult my baby! I'm thankful for the baby he was, and I'm thankful he eventually slept through the night, too.
2. I'm thankful for my son's keen sense of humor. Have you seen the videos of babies laughing so hard they are practically crying? My son did that for the first time when he was 6 months old. John and I had gone to a park, and John found a golf ball on the ground. He took a stick and started swinging at the golf ball. Our son thought that was the funniest thing he had ever seen, and started laughing so, so hard. Every time John swung the stick, our son laughed and laughed. I wish we could have recorded his laugh. It makes me smile just to think of it.
3. I'm thankful for my son's good memory, even though it made for some interesting parenting moments. From a letter I wrote in 1991:
5. I'm thankful for my son's great imagination. When he was two, he would tell me elaborate stories about dinosaurs he supposedly saw outside. When the story was over, he would assure me that it was "just betend."
I didn't realize the impact his imagination had on the other children, though, until just a few years ago. I learned then that some of them believed for pretty much all of their childhood that amoebas pooped real gold! The amoebas poop gold factoid was introduced to them by oldest son. Of course, no sooner had the kids come to the conclusion that oldest son had pulled one over on them, than out came the news of this discovery. I guess my son was just ahead of his time.
6. I'm thankful for my son's thirst for knowledge. Years ago, his church nursery leader told me she was so touched, she almost cried when my son asked her for the recipe of the snack she had fixed. I'm afraid I probably would have laughed. The snack was a snowman made of 3 large marshmallows and some pretzel sticks for arms.
His quest for knowledge continues, and the things he is learning are way beyond that simple marshmallow recipe.
7. I'm thankful that my son has a desire to help others. Whether demonstrated in his dream to be a doctor, his two years spent on a church mission, or in myriad little ways, I'm thankful for his kind heart.
8. I'm thankful my son isn't afraid to try new things. He's a great example to me of hands-on learning. Computers, cars, painting--it doesn't matter what it is, he's willing to try his hand.
9. I'm thankful that he keeps in touch. He's always been great about calling regularly, and I appreciate hearing from him.
10. I'm thankful that almost 2 years ago, he married a wonderful young woman. I'm so happy that they have each other, and I'm glad she joined our family.
What are you thankful for this week? Link up below!
Thanks for oldest son. Happy birthday!
1. I used to get so mad when people would ask me if my newborn baby was a "good baby." Really, people, what other kind of baby is there? I knew they really meant, "Does he sleep well at night?" The answer was "NO!!!" In my sleep-deprived state, I took the question personally. How dare anyone insult my baby! I'm thankful for the baby he was, and I'm thankful he eventually slept through the night, too.
2. I'm thankful for my son's keen sense of humor. Have you seen the videos of babies laughing so hard they are practically crying? My son did that for the first time when he was 6 months old. John and I had gone to a park, and John found a golf ball on the ground. He took a stick and started swinging at the golf ball. Our son thought that was the funniest thing he had ever seen, and started laughing so, so hard. Every time John swung the stick, our son laughed and laughed. I wish we could have recorded his laugh. It makes me smile just to think of it.
3. I'm thankful for my son's good memory, even though it made for some interesting parenting moments. From a letter I wrote in 1991:
[Oldest son] is very excited that [oldest daughter] is getting bigger, and it's all my fault. A couple of weeks ago, some of my friends from Oregon came and stayed with us. One day, they went to Disneyland. All that day [oldest son] kept telling me, "Socks. Shoes. Ready go Disneyland." I kept explaining to him that we weren't going to Disneyland that day. I told him that we would go someday when [oldest daughter] was bigger. Well, on Memorial Day, John and I were talking together about how big [oldest daughter] is getting. [Oldest son] heard us and rushed over, all excited. "[She] big! Ready go Disneyland!" We didn't go to Disneyland, but we compromised and went to Disneyland Hotel. There is lots to see and do there (radio-controlled cars and boats, pedal boats, fish ponds, waterfalls, etc.) [Oldest son] had a good time, even though we got the yellow pedal boat instead of the blue one.4. I'm thankful that my son loves his siblings. When he became a big brother, and met his sister for the first time, he said, "soft hair, soft cheek," as he gently touched her. When she would cry, he would say, "OK, OK. I know. OK."
5. I'm thankful for my son's great imagination. When he was two, he would tell me elaborate stories about dinosaurs he supposedly saw outside. When the story was over, he would assure me that it was "just betend."
I didn't realize the impact his imagination had on the other children, though, until just a few years ago. I learned then that some of them believed for pretty much all of their childhood that amoebas pooped real gold! The amoebas poop gold factoid was introduced to them by oldest son. Of course, no sooner had the kids come to the conclusion that oldest son had pulled one over on them, than out came the news of this discovery. I guess my son was just ahead of his time.
6. I'm thankful for my son's thirst for knowledge. Years ago, his church nursery leader told me she was so touched, she almost cried when my son asked her for the recipe of the snack she had fixed. I'm afraid I probably would have laughed. The snack was a snowman made of 3 large marshmallows and some pretzel sticks for arms.
7. I'm thankful that my son has a desire to help others. Whether demonstrated in his dream to be a doctor, his two years spent on a church mission, or in myriad little ways, I'm thankful for his kind heart.
8. I'm thankful my son isn't afraid to try new things. He's a great example to me of hands-on learning. Computers, cars, painting--it doesn't matter what it is, he's willing to try his hand.
9. I'm thankful that he keeps in touch. He's always been great about calling regularly, and I appreciate hearing from him.
10. I'm thankful that almost 2 years ago, he married a wonderful young woman. I'm so happy that they have each other, and I'm glad she joined our family.
What are you thankful for this week? Link up below!
Thanks for oldest son. Happy birthday!
Your hosts
A Fly on our (Chicken Coop)
Wall, Considerings, Finding Ninee, Getting Literal</
a>, I Want Backsies, Mother of Imperfection, Rewritten, Thankful Me, The Meaning of Me, The
Wakefield Doctrine
A wonderful post.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteAw what a beautiful baby and handsome young man your son turned out to be.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteWish your son's memory can rub off on me, as I'm pretty forgetful! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I ever had as good of a memory as he does!
DeleteThat is a beautiful tribute to your son! He reminds me of my son in so many ways, right down to the striped overalls! Except my son was an excellent sleeper, not that I'm rubbing it in or anything.... I did have my share of sleep deprivation, though, since he woke up in the night to be nursed until he was probably 9 months old (he was a hungry boy). Love the story of your son telling the kids amoebas pooped gold, and after going to the link, I believe the old Miner 49er saying should be "There's gold in them there poops."
ReplyDeleteI love Osh Kosh! I think my parents thought of my son's sleeping habits as evidence of karma, because apparently I was equally awake as a baby.
DeleteHAPPY BIRTHDAY ! What a sweet post ... and what a bizarre link ( re gold organisms)...Is he a metallurgist now?!
ReplyDeleteLOL. . . no, he's pre-med.
Deletewhat a sweet sweet post! with 5 sons here, I know how special that very first son is. In my case, my eldest is the reason
ReplyDeleteI chose to have more children, the absolute deciding factor, I adore him and he and his wife have now give us three grandsons! Happy joyful birthday to your dear son! xox jean
They do have a way of stealing your heart, don't they? :-)
DeleteWhat a lovely tribute to your son! He sounds like a wonderful person. And, a baby's laugh may be the sweetest sound in the entire world.
ReplyDeleteSuch wonder and delight in those laughs!
DeleteHappy Birthday to your son! What a sweet, loving post to celebrate him!
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteHappy Birthday to your son and I am reading while my girls are hanging out with me and they were enthralled with all the adorable photos of your son as a baby and little boy, too! So, we truly loved this tribute to him tonight and thank you for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your girls enjoyed the photos. I had fun looking back, too.
DeleteHappy happy birthday to both of you! What a wonderful post!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love #2. And he sounds like a wonderful young man all around - well done, Mom! And I just love the smile on his little face in that top photo - what a happy boy!
Have a wonderful week!
I think I'll always remember his cute little belly-laugh from that day.
DeleteThis is so sweet! My first born is almost 21. I can't believe it!
ReplyDeleteThe days sometimes go by slowly, but the years fly by!
DeleteCongratulations with that wonderful son of yours! He is a big compliment to your parenting.
ReplyDeleteThank you, but (after he started sleeping) he was an easy child to raise.
DeleteWhat a beautiful post and collection of memories. I loved it from the beautiful knit blanket (my mom knits baby stuff for craft fairs) through to the picture of the lovely couple. Happy birthday!
ReplyDeleteMy grandma made that for him, and I still have it.
DeleteThanks, Lizzi.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to your son! I love the Disneyland story!!!
ReplyDeleteOh, he was so excited to overhear us saying that his sister was getting so big!
DeleteSuch a fabulous tribute to your son! Great idea for TTot! I may have to borrow it around my children's birthdays.
ReplyDeleteFeel free! I've got 4 more TToT birthday posts to write in the next few months. Somehow all of our kids' birthdays occurred in Feb-Apr. (Including the adopted ones!)
Delete(not being very good at complimenting and/or otherwise ooh(ing) and ahh(ing) babies and such) I will say, 'excellent kid picture!'
ReplyDeletethe grin is rather cool.
I realized when I wrote this post that it might prove difficult for some to comment on, and I'm appreciative of all the positive feedback.
DeleteAw, this is sweet.
ReplyDeleteAnd I know what you mean about "good baby." It always struck me as a very strange thing to say too.
Oh, so I'm not the only one! All babies are inherently "good," and sleep schedule (or anything else) doesn't change that one bit.
DeleteAw Kristi, what a beautiful post for your son. He was so, so cute. And those stories are precious. You are such a good mom, encouraging your kids to be the people they were born to be. Happy Birthday to both of you!
ReplyDelete