Happy Birthday Jacky

The boy is ONE! Well not until 10:01am officially.

This morning Susie and I woke up and went into Jack's room, armed with rolling video camera, and sang a tired version of Happy Birthday to the birthday boy. Then I was forced to rush out the door to work while listening to Jack's big boy laugh whilst his mother sang, "It's your birfday".

Now at work and writing this blog, I can't help but get a bit choked up thinking about the year we've had with our little boy. I remember the post-birth room, changing Jack's first diaper in the dark, freezing in the hospital with no way to turn the air conditioner up, lanugo, formula chaos, the first time Jack ate solids, the first time he ate spaghetti, laughing hysterically while he belly laughed about his walker, laying on the floor with Jack when only a couple weeks old and listening to the Beatles, wrapping Jack nearly every night for like 4 months so he would sleep a bit better, an incredible amount of screaming, dock walks, doctor appointments and tests, the 1st Holidays, troubleshooting with Jack's mother when confused 99% of the time, crying and laughing with Jack's mother when confused 99% of the time, the first tooth and the 7 that followed, bathtime with the Frogpond Wizard, playing monster in the afternoons, more screaming, the first smiles and laughs, the first talking sounds, first words mama, dada, and cat, long walks at 5am, Jack's first concert...The Knack, swimming in the Lake Crest pool, quietly watching him sleep, getting him out of the crib in the mornings while he laughed in excitement, but, most of all, I remember the overwhelming feeling of knowing that my son was going to be okay.

Jack, you make every day meaningful for me. You are an inspiration to me, a great memory and dream at the same time, and you fill me with hope about every part of my life and the world.

At this moment, you are probably at home getting ready to eat your breakfast with your mom and I am here thinking of you counting the minutes to come home with you and begin your birthday weekend. Happy Birthday baby boy...I hope you have a lifetime of feeling the way your mother and I feel when with you.

Love, Dad

Now I must hide in my office and cry all day until I get to go home.