Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Happy 12th Birthday, Handsome Lad!


I can't believe my baby, Daniel Handsome Lad is turning 12 today. When my oldest son was 12, he seemed so big to me...I think because of the younger kids that I also had...right down to Handsome Lad who was just joining us that year. Now 12 seems a much younger age. They don't call babies of the family "baby of the family" for nothing, now do they? No, Handsome Lad will always be the baby :)

I just want to recognize, on his special day, what a great kid he is. Here are some Handsome Lad facts for you:

- When he was very small he had a very large key collection. And whenever we went out walking anywhere, he would have to stop at any lock he found and try out his keys in it. Sure, it took us longer to get around, but his concentration was unwavering. There was something darling about it.

- He's very athletic and coordinated, but he doesn't particularly enjoy team or organized sports. Finally, a couple of years ago, he discovered skateboarding. Now he skates every single day if nothing else gets in his way.

- His performance in school seems to be based primarily upon his interest level in whatever is being taught. I have seen him go all out for teachers he likes and subjects he finds engaging. I have seen completely shut down if there is a personality conflict or an area that doesn't matter to him.

- He likes reading biographies and humorous fiction. When he was younger he wrote a little series of biographies about his favorite wrestlers. They were hilarious. He loves history. Math, not so much. He especially loves art and I am happy to say that he fully believes that art is like anything else...if you practice it enough each day, you will get good at it.

- Handsome Lad can be insanely funny. He is especially adept at prop comedy and odd impersonations. Sometimes when he and one of the other kids get going on something as a team, I have found myself reduced to helpless laughter.

- Maybe because of his position as the youngest, he has a deeply personal and close connection to each person in the family individually. It seems like he has made a special effort to find something to bond over with each of his brothers and his sister. He is also very close to both his dad and I, which has sometimes made him feel conflicted. I feel bad about that, of course, but that is definitely getting better.

- I feel certain that Handsome Lad, equipped with his intensity, his humor, and his sensitivity is bound to lead a full and interesting life. I feel so lucky to know him.

Happy Birthday, Handsome Lad. Next year...the teens.

11 comments:

Tara said...

Handsome Lad has admirable traits, I know I could definitely learn from him, especially his way of having a connection with each family member. Most of my brothers and I grow distant sometimes.

Churlita said...

Awww. Happy birthday, Handsome lad. What a good kid. You've done a great job with him so far.

Pamela said...

Babies of the family are the BEST!!! can you tell what I am?
Happy birthday to him!!

laura b. said...

Tara: I see how hard it is as adults to maintain that closeness when I look at me and my sister. I hope he can make it last.

Churlita: Thank you. I wish I could take more credit. Somehow I've always had the sensation of being a guide in this world for my kids, but after that...they are who they are, from the minute they were born.

Pamela: Aw :-)I have a sneaking suspicioun of where you might fall in your family...
Personally, I find that being the oldest, being #1, is the way to go. haha!

Ananda girl said...

Sounds like a great son! I had a good laugh over the keys.

My 3 yr. old Max had blind faith that all sewer pipes, manholes and drains led to Ninja Turtles. We could not pass one without him screaming "Michael Angelo! Donatello!" etc. into them. It used to crack me up.

Happy birthday to your baby!

Anonymous said...

Hey Happy Birthday! :o) I loved the HL facts! xx

laura b. said...

Ananda: Oh yes, I am very familiar with the TMNT phenomenon. My two oldest sons had a huge collection of action figures and costumes back in the day :-)

Daffy: Aw thanks! Nice to see you tweeting so much :-D

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, HL. He sounds like he is going to be an enterprising adult one day soon. He has lots of interests, which is a good thing.

laura b. said...

AlienCG: Thanks, Alien. I think you're right. All his little quirks will come in handy some day.

Sebastien Millon said...

Happy birthday to Handsome Lad! Sounds like such a nice young man, especially love hearing that he enjoys art :)

laura b. said...

Sebastien: Thank you :-) Oh, yes, he fully considers himself an artist. I love that.