Eleven Things I Love About You

Eleven years ago today my husband’s family sat waiting around the Thanksgiving dinner table. My husband and I were a no-show. They speculated that I might be in the hospital, and finally called to confirm.

I was giving birth to my son. Through my yelling and whining, I periodically reminded my husband that he should call his parents. But he’s a bit superstitious and didn’t want to make the call until the baby was born. The day wore on and finally, at 5:30 pm, our baby boy arrived.

I cuddled my newborn and scarfed down the hospital’s version of Thanksgiving dinner. And I couldn’t have been happier or more thankful.

Today my baby boy is eleven years old. He’s off at our health club this morning, playing sports with his dad, uncle and cousins.  I’m here in my quiet house, watching the Macy’s Parade and cooking some food to bring to dinner at my brother-in-law’s. I’m thinking about this day eleven years ago, when I went to bed the night before Thanksgiving dreading having to sit my huge, uncomfortable body through a day of food and festivities. A few hours later I woke up and went into labor. As if little Logan knew that I just wouldn’t be able to handle a family gathering. Maybe even before he was born he understood me. He’s just like me. Sometimes I think that even at the young age of eleven, he gets me better than anyone I know.

Here are eleven things I want to remember on his eleventh birthday…

1. He loves computers and video games. Like me, he could sit at a computer all day and be happy. Unlike me, he hates taking the time to read directions, but can pretty quickly pick up any game and kick everyone’s ass.
2. He’s got a short temper. Like me, he doesn’t have much patience and little things can annoy him in a big way. We’re both yellers. We’re working on that.
3. He has a logical, math-oriented mind and is a great organizer. He’s a natural born manager. Like me, he loves to come up with ideas and plans and tell people what to do, but is not so big on doing things himself.
4. He’s got a wicked sweet tooth. It’s tough for me to tell him he can’t have a candy cane for breakfast when the thing I crave most for breakfast is a brownie.
5. He loves to fight with swords, dart guns, light sabers… even sticks.
6. He’s a whiner and a complainer. Even though his life is just about perfect. Just. like. me. ‘Nuff said.
7. He’s sensitive. He often can’t work out his own emotions because they are really strong.
8. He likes to clean and organize. Just like me. He’ll either make a great husband someday or drive some poor girl crazy with his obsessiveness.
9. He’s creative. He likes to scrapbook and decorate cakes.
10. He’s got an entrepreneurial spirit. A few months ago he created flyers for a business called “Logan’s Desserts” and handed them out to many of the families we know. He’s now working on a web site for his business.
11. He’s a homebody… but not really. A quiet day at home, in his PJs, watching movies and playing video games makes him happy. Just like me, he needs a push to get out and do something. And once he does, he always enjoys himself and is glad he went out.

Happy Birthday Logan.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

Tagged as: kids