On the most beautiful winter morning, he slipped quickly and easily into our family.
I had nothing to worry about...he was my only baby under 9 pounds, he was beautiful and he has grown into the most lovely kind of boy.
Jacob is sensitive, quiet and introspective. He likes to play alone after a time of socializing though he does love his siblings very much and loves to play with them. He is very nurturing to Matthew. He is soft and gentle and loves to make him laugh. He is struggling with Elizabeth's turn from toddlerhood into a feisty and opinionated peer. The dynamic between them has changed from doting big brother and baby sister to that of friends which is so nice to see. Jake has always looked up to Ben and continues to do so but is also branching out with interests and strengths of his own.
Jakes two loves are animals and garbage trucks. This doesn't change much from year to year. He says he is going to drive the garbage truck in the morning and be a veterinarian by night. He just might!
He has lost two bottom teeth now and his front teeth which have been missing now for three years might grow in the next year. It will be exciting to see what Jacob will look like with teeth again!
Jake is a boy who appreciates the simple things. Less people, less noise and less excitement is what he gravitates towards. He enjoyed himself very much over the Christmas season and true to the nature of the holiday we tried hard to make it magical, special and memorable for the kids. We did lots of fun activities, visited all of his favorite people and he received many generous gifts. But it is a lot for him. We focused on quieter activities in the days after Christmas and on one sunny, cold morning we went for a walk around the neighbourhood. We were lucky enough to see not only the garbage truck, but then shortly afterwards the recycling truck too! We walked a little further and stopped again to see the mail carrier loading mail into the superboxes. A little further up we stopped once again to see the side walk plow dig into the snow banks that had accumulated at the intersection. On our walk home Jacob took my hand and grinned. "Mommy. This was the BEST day of my life!".
It doesn't take much for Jake:)
Jacob has a small circle of people who he claims as his. He is fiercely loyal to them and you would consider yourself lucky to be included in his inner circle. I told him we were going out one day to meet some new friends and he looked at me incredulously and said "Mommy I HAVE a friend!" Why on earth would he want or need more than Hannah, he couldn't imagine. And he sure loves Hannah. They met at the playground when they were two and a half. He threw woodchips in her face and they have been friends ever since. He was upset to learn that Hannah wants to now marry a child from her kindergarten class and Jacob is now in second place. I was talking to him in his bedroom and he said "can she EVEN do that?!" I told him she could and he was deflated. To change the subject a bit I told him that the tooth fairy would be visiting her house that night and he said..."I bet she will get $25.00!" (he only received $20.00 for his first lost tooth...) I asked him why he thought that and he sighed "she has SUCH nice teeth!".
Oh my Jake when he loves, he loves hard!
This loving nature, this sincerity, this simple gratitude, this love of snuggling with his mommy before bed, this sweet and quiet disposition, this eagerness that he puts into everything new he tries to succeed at are the unique qualities I wish I could have told the anxious and impatient mom to be about 6 years ago. He was worth the wait! It has been such a pleasure and a privilege to watch him grow into this special little boy. As we leave his early childhood this year and move onto "the big kid" years I have so many fond memories of him. I don't know why mothers have a hard time with their little ones growing up. There is so much excitement and milestones and fun to be had. And yet... I can't help but get teary at the thought of his little two year old voice begging "Pwease one more time mommy!" as he begs another round of "old macdonald" (I must have sang that song 10000 times in his second year!) I can remember the look of shock as he lay on the bottom step with plastic bags hanging on his three year old arms after the THUMP brought me running. Looking annoyed and confused as to why his "parachutes" didn't work at all the way he had hoped! I remember his belly laugh as a baby and how quick he always was with a smile. How much he loves the outdoors. He would lay on the grass and stroke the blades that tickled him and smile even as a very young boy. He becomes so relaxed and kind and in his element when there is anything or anyone that he can nurture or care for from a spider to a baby. He still loves his special baby doll he has toted around since he was a little over a year old. He will be a wonderful Daddy one day. He has been practicing for a long time! He lost it for awhile and I asked him what he was looking for. He said he was looking for his baby, I asked what baby and he said "my precious baby!". Another mom once asked me if I "worried what people thought" and I laughed because it was absurd...but also because of the paradox Jake presents. He would, if questioned or teased about his little baby doll punch someone in the face and walk away to push it on the swing. He is as tough as he is sweet. He reminds me of a tough burly biker who cries at greeting card commercials. No, Jake can look after himself and is rarely concerned with what anyone other than his mom, dad and big brother think of him. In those cases he very much wants us to be proud. And we are Jake. We couldn't be prouder.
Happy birthday my sweet boy. You are one of my very favorite people. I am so lucky to get to spend my days being your mom. Thank you for the lessons you teach me, I love you more than there are words to express. I am so glad you are mine.
Love Mommy xoxoxoxo
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