Number One

We were stoked all week about #1's birthday (the 16th) and marveling at the fact that we are parents of a 12 year old. It just doesn't seem possible. Mr. Rix and I were married when we were 26 and almost 27 (him) and we really thought we'd waited till we were OLD to get married. It seemed old then.

We got pregnant almost 2 years later...a bit ahead of schedule, but hey. We'd certainly hoped that we'd be a little more settled than in a 2 bedroom crap hole apartment with Mr. Rix still finishing his degree.

Then I lost my job. We couldn't prove that it was because I had just given birth to a child with a very costly medical condition...but...they sure were slow to pay the bills and even tried to deny coverage for him.

He's been a joy and a pleasure to parent. Always very insightful, introspective and in wise beyond his years.

We made the choice to not put him in daycare and have me stay home with him. I guess those would be called our salad years, but it seems more like a decade of ramen. We can't imagine doing it any other way.

When he was 3 1/2 it became clear that we needed to find him a preschool. We found a co-op preschool that required parents to serve as assistants on a regular basis (which I LOVED). He loved it and even taught himself how to read by age 4. Our drive to the preschool passed by a cemetery...one day he told me that the cemetery made him sad. When I asked him more about it, he said that he was sad that the people there were dead and also sad for all the people who loved them. Pretty heady stuff for a 4 year old.

When his brother was born, there was never any jealously or envy. He loved helping with #2 and teaching him. To this day they are best friends. Completely opposite boys but totally in sync with each other.

Just tonight at supper he asked me why people use the expression "What Would Jesus Do?" I told him that it was supposed to be a reminder that we should all behave with a kind heart. He wondered why it was that those people who say WWJD are the first ones to judge people who don't go to church. I agreed with him but reminded him that a kind heart doesn't judge , even people we don't agree with.

Today I took the boys to Best Buy so that #1 could buy his new Zune with his b-day money and the boys wanted to eat at IHOP (blech) for lunch. #2 and I cracked up when the waitress asked "sister" what he wanted to eat (for some reason waitstaff around here always call #1 "sister", I guess it's the long blonde hair). It still cracks me and his brother up. But #1 takes it in stride as says "Well, I guess if I want to be a rockstar I have to get used to the funny looks".

***Ha! #2 Just came crashing down the stairs..."What's wrong?", (says me) "What do you think? I was walking down the hall, calling out to [#2] and when he didn't answer, I knew he was hiding in the closet and I fell on the stairs". Yeah, did I mention he's a total scardy cat? He cajoles his little brother to follow him...or go first for him, everywhere. And he listens to Charley Parker or Dave Brubek as he falls asleep...songs with words bother him as he drifts off.

What a freak. And he's 11 months closer to being a teen.