Happy Birthday Jacob!

So, 12 years ago today, as I lay in Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo, Michigan, ten hours into what would turn out to be a 21-hour labor that ended in a c-section, I was sure that when it was all over, I would have a little baby girl in my arms.

Whoops.  I should have known then how this maternal instinct thing was going to play out.

But he finally arrived, and while everyone was surprised that he was a he, Jacob seemed to take it all in stride.  I've always said he's an old soul.  Right from the beginning, he's looked at us as if to say "I'll wait while you get this parenting thing figured out, but hurry up already,"  He's still waiting.

He got up and walked across the living room at 9 months.  I remember Mitch looking at me and saying "Well, this can't be good,"

He never spoke in baby talk.  The closest he got to that was when a fire truck would go by - and we had a lot of fire trucks in Milwood - he would drop everything and put a hand to his ear and say "Hear?"  Once Sara was born, he designated himself her translator.  He would tell me, "Lainey says we should go to Dairy Queen," or "Lainey says we should go to hot dog stand for lunch,"  Jacob was very intuned with the dining preferences of a 6-month-old baby.

He slept in cat naps for the first 2 years.  20 minutes here or there.  Just a quick recharge, then back to the world.  He didn't want to miss anything.  He still doesn't, but at least he sleeps through the night now.

Once he discovered baseball, there was no turning back.  If you're ever wondering who watches those old baseball games on ESPN Classic, it's Jake.  He lives and breathes baseball.  His favorite position is catcher.  I think it's the throwing off of the mask he likes.  I listen to his coach tell him in the dugout "Get the gear on" and I remember when he was little and used to call it "the armor".  He wanted to play for the Detroit Tigers, but now he's thinking the Yankees might be more financially beneficial. 

All he's wanted to do since he was 6 was drive a car. 

He didn't want to move to Utah, but now I think he's happy here.  He's made some good friends and enjoys school.  He's still playing the trumpet.  He's completed his 2nd class rank for Boy Scouts.  He's getting ready to go to middle school in the fall.  He got braces on Monday.  He's thinking he might go to the University of Utah instead of University of Michigan.  He might want to be a vet, if this baseball thing doesn't work out.

But to me, he's still that 7 pound, 10 ounce baby boy that was finally dragged into this world at 9:31 PM twelve years ago today.  The little boy who told me once "You're the best mom me and Sara ever had."  The kindergartener who brought me breakfast in bed once of french toast (toast with syrup) and hand-squeezed grape juice ("You have to squeeze a lot of grapes just to get a little juice, Mom"). 

Happy 12th Birthday, Jacob.  I love you.