happy birthday, jay

Happy Birthday, indeed.

It was a gorgeous, warm, sunny day, just absolutely perfect.

 In the evening we opened a few gifts:

 With the teeth, always the dramatic performance to amuse the children.

 Oh, big surprise! Shorts! 

(You are a good sport.)

 Guessing what's in the package:

 Tearing it open with the teeth:

 More guesses:

 That movie did not work, faulty disc, going back to the store in the morning.

 He guessed underwear.

 He was right.  He also guessed the bath gel.

There you go, in a cloud of smoke for ONE MORE YEAR.

Julia put these old pictures of the two of you on Instagram, so sweet.

There are many things about you we appreciate.  You show up and take care of things.  You don't nitpick.  If there is a situation or a problem or a project someone asks for help with?  You are there, doing whatever needs to be done, no matter how ridiculous the job or how terrible the weather.

Besides your own business and all those customers, you also cook and do laundry and tend unruly grandbabies late in the afternoon.  You accompany me on real estate appointments whenever I ask.

This is an old story, but it's kind of true to you.  Back in the day, the kids thought apple cores disappeared.

They'd eat an apple in the car, throw the core on the floor, and over a few days it would wither and then disappear.

Seriously.

They did not realize that on Wednesday night when you were putting the trash cans to the curb, you'd take a pass through the cars and remove any trash.

Hello?  Your Father.  Remover of all apple cores.

And this brings us to NOW, three years ago, a little baby girl was born right on your birthday, and she is delightful.

 Sweet angel here you are, big dark eyes and bright smile.

We loved you then, silly little lump of a doll, and we love you now.

 Happy Birthday, Beautiful Girl. Grandpa is so happy to have a birthday with you together.

Always so much love,

Grandma, aka Val, plus EVERYBODY