This post is dedicated to my sweet son, Nick Joseph, who just turned seven years old! I can't believe he is seven! I absolutely love being his mom. I believe God created him just for Nick and me and us just for him. We are so truly blessed. Anyway here are just a few of the highlights...the quirky and unique things about Jay the come to the forefront of my mind.
Nick is named after his dad, who was named after his dad. So to avoid confusion amongst family we started calling him Jay. Now all of our friends are confused..."who is Jay?" Anyway, he is the boy with two names.
When he was born he didn't cry at all...he just looked around the room as calm as can be.
My first thought when I saw him was that he had his dad's ears. I remember how interesting that was to me...that this new little being had ears just like his dad. I had imagined everything else, hair color, eyes, nose, mouth, but never considered what his ears might look like. What a little miracle.
Jay has blonde hair and blue eyes...nobody in our immediate and very few in our extended families have blonde hair or blue eyes.
When getting one series of vaccinations, Jay cried when they rubbed the alcohol on his skin and stopped when they gave him the shot.
His first word was "BA-DURE" and he usually said it as a question. He would point and say "ba-dure?" People thought he loved butter. Or sometimes he would exclame it "BA-DURE!!!" usually when he was mad.
When he learned to walk he would hold his arms straight back, like they were F-15 wings and he was about to lift off!! Sometimes he would start with them bent and as he would build up speed he would straighten them.
When he was two any word that began with the letter "S" he would pronounce "Yuh"...i.e
"Yun" was the sun, "yocks" were socks...etc. Anyway what he would always yell to me whenever I would try to help him with anything was "BY MY-YELF! BY MY-YELF!"
When he was three he wanted to be called "Fire Breathing Dragon." Whenever we would go anywhere and someone asked him his name, he would reply "Fire Breathing Dragon." I got the weirdest looks! Oh, and he liked to call me "Don-kay" from Shrek.
He has been collecting rocks since he was two...they are his treasure.
Jay knew all of his letters before the age two and could ride a two-wheeler when he was three (these traits I believe came from his dad).
Jay is compassionate.
He has an infectious laugh and a great sense of humor (I'd like to think came from me).
He wears his heart on his sleeve...I hope that never changes.
Jay's favorite toy is a stuffed tiger named Simba. His Aunt Katherine gave it to him when he was born. Simba was on Nick's final flight in the F-15E and goes everywhere with us.
He loves science and wants to be the first person to travel to Pluto and invent a collar for dogs that will help them talk.
Here are photos taken on his actual birthday. He received a BSU football jersey. This is him reading his birthday cards.
Nick woke up early to fix him his favorite breakfast...waffles and bacon!
We decorated cupcakes to share with his class.
Saturday we celebrated Jay's birthay with the neighborhood friends at the zoo!
The kids got to pet a snake...
...watch the monkeys...
...and the meerkats...
...play in the grass...
...and be silly.
Happy Birthday Jay! I love you!
P.S. When I asked Jay if he wished every day were his birthay, much to my surprise, he replied no. He said because then the other kids wouldn't get to have their special day...that's my boy!
I didn't realize Bubbba Fette and Yoda were such good friends.
I also didn't realize Bubba Fette begs for candy...
or gets his face painted.
Fire breathing dragons are cool! 
Nick woke up early to fix him his favorite breakfast...waffles and bacon!
We decorated cupcakes to share with his class.
...watch the monkeys...
...and the meerkats...
...play in the grass...
...and be silly.
Happy Birthday Jay! I love you!
Whoever is the lucky recipient of this ornament, please act surprised.
Luke started off having a good time...but it grew old fast. I guess watching his brother paint is right up there with watching paint dry. Not much fun for someone who has the ability to crawl around and get into anything that looks intriguing...but is strapped to a stroller.
Here's a shot of his two little teeth. 
Okay, enough posing, time to play.
Now, if only he could figure out how to get back down again...
