thirty

at two

at eighteen

Yes. Thirty today.

Him.


He's Dan, the second child.

John's the first child, and his birthday was back in June, ended up all wrapped into the graduation party, which often happens--that, or a wedding, or something.

john and dad

But in August, life gets a little slower.

When Dan was born, John was too little to even be jealous, just accepted him without concern, loved him entirely.

Even now when they fight, this is the argument--same one every time: John complains, "Dan's such a crab-ass." Dan grumbles, "John's trying to run my life."

We're so predictable, you know?

Anyway here's something I wrote about them in a magazine article a few years ago:

"The first was the one who baffled me and worried me, and then delighted me most of all with his sense of humor. (He did choose us for parents. He'd have had to be both brave and a good sport.) I had no idea babies love a joke!

As he's grown, we have argued and scrapped like siblings. He and I and his dad and brother have grown up together. I don't know why those two spirits were brave enough to come to a couple of goofs like we were, but I am only glad they did.

The first one had a glorious crown of satiny, springy gold curls, and a bother that followed on his heels by only a year, and that second one--oh my goodness. He was little and lovely and thoughtful, with skinny arms and creamy skin, but best of all he was coated with fur. I didn't know there was a name for it. I'd never heard of lanugo, but it curled along his cheeks and shoulders and down his back. It was delicious and wonderful. I nibbled it after his baths, and when I rocked him to sleep, I'd slip a hand under his undershirt and stroke his fur."

Anyway, enough of that. They're all grown up now, married men with sons of their own.


Tonight we went to John and Dan's softball game for fun, and these characters were there.

When they steal your heart, it's forever. When these little squirrels are thirty, I'll still feel just as fierce about them as I do now.


Yup, it's true.

Happy Birthday, Honey. Thank you for being our kid. None of us would be who we are without YOU. love, Mom and Dad