The Joys of Jon David . . .

Jon David is ALL boy. From the day I brought him home, I knew that the little man was a man's man. You know the baby who sprayed his mom EACH time she changed his diaper. You know the baby boy who was proud of his anatomy from the time he had ANY fine motor skills. Along with said fascination, he was also able to throw, kick, or dribble a ball by age two. (This was achieved before he spoke his first complete sentence.) He is still the best burper in the house, the only one to fire a cannon (expel gas) without any appearance of regret, and the one to spend more time on the potty than the other four of us combined. Jon David would make any man proud! I am not a man, so I am proud for completely different reasons. From the time he was a baby and suffering from chronic ear infections and asthma, I knew he was a special little guy. He is a "happy wheezer"--the kid who is sick so often but never complains. This translates into many things. He gets a shot and never flinches. He throws up and never wakes me (because he "knows I need my sleep"). He falls and hops up in spite of the blood. Jon David is my trooper. Jon David's first day of kindergarten is a glimpse into his heart. I dropped him off to his new teacher. (Who happened to be my kindergarten teacher, too.) He seemed a little apprehensive. I saw the redness and wetness of his eyes and asked if he was okay. He assured me he was. I asked again. He raised his chin and said, "Mom, this is my big day. I'll be okay. You taught me how to be okay." Wow, that's what being a mom is all about. We teach our kiddos how to be "okay" on their big days. What a precious joy! Other things that bring me such joy . . . Jon David's love for little ones. Babies adore him, and he already shows an acute awareness of them and their needs. I suspect he may be a coach one day--maybe only of his own children. I love the twinkle in his eye. Often, it stems from mischieviousness. It is also from a zest for life, a true appreciation for the things going on around him. I love the way he still holds on to me each morning when I wake him from his deep sleep. His legs are growing longer and wrap all the way around me now. But, he's not ready to let go. That makes two of us. Ah, the joys of Jon David.