Yep, it was a very cold December day in 1989. Full moon the night before, and he was only a few weeks late. No big deal (for me...mom, well, different story)!
I like to honor family birthdays with a top ten list about the person. This year's top ten will focus on the early years, prior to life in Joliet/Channahon. Pre-K Brian moments and memories.
10. The moment of your birth is still so vivid to me. We were so tired...hadn't slept the whole night before. You came and I cried, then laughed, then cried again. It was an amazing moment.
9. When you were born you did something for me that only a first-born can do. You gave me a title I will wear with pride for the rest of my days...dad.
8. Not long after you were born, I was at a meeting at the church we were attending, Skokie Valley. While sitting at the table I was catching this horrid odor. I was panning the room, wondering which baboon forgot to shower. As I turned my head to the right, the smell got much stronger. I leaned my nose toward my shoulder. There is was...a deposit of Brian baby puke! I was the baboon! Didn't see that one coming.
7. I remember taking you up to St. John's Baby Factory to meet Shellie for the first time. You did something on that inaugural visit that you do to this day...it cracked me up, and still does. In that moment, you realized that you had competition...there was a potential spot-light stealer in the room, and so you did what any competitive, first-born would do...you stepped into the beam and tried your best to cast a long shadow!
6. Separation was not a favorite thing for you. Dropping you off at preschool was sheer trauma. I guess that may be genetic. I'm the guy who spent the first day of kindergarten under a desk!
5. You know this story, but I love it. We were living on Foxdale, and small group was meeting at our house. You walked into the room with a face that was white as a sheet. We wondered what was wrong. A few moments later we found the fire you set in the bathroom. Small blaze...no permanent damage.
4. I loved the way you said snow...tone! I still call it tone. I'm not sure how you got Wubwuff out of Puffalump! Creative kid. Even then you could make it up on the fly!
3. When you were very young you had much better taste in baseball teams. I'll leave it there.
2. Fishing with you was always fun. I just walked over to our spot on Y Lake last week and thought about you catching all those sunnys. You could fish, even as a little kid. Remember going to the park? I think it was Suson Park. You fished with a chunk of hot dog inches from shore and caught a catfish. I think that's the same time Devon fell in the lake!
1. I don't think I've ever told you this, but my favorite moments with you were laying on your bottom bunk almost every night, listening to Adventures in Odyssey as you fell asleep. Cassettes...remember those? and your little, red preschool tape player. We'd listen while you drifted off. It was seldom that one tape was enough.
I love you now, but I miss you being a little guy home with us. You made being a dad my favorite role in life. I could list so many more memories. I have so many moments, snapshots in my mind that will never go away.
I love you Bri...happy 22!
(See you in a few hours)