Hard to believe, but my older son turns 30 today. It's been a great three decades, and he stands today a professional, a husband, a father, and a fine human being.I still remember bringing that little 8-pound, 10-ounce bundle home in the newly purchased car seat in the back of our little white Toyota. I was lucky enough to have some time off, so I got to stay home and help take care of him, grabbing naps where possible, helping his mom when I could (she did all the feeding), and getting used to him being with us.
I remember walks in strollers, lots of pants changes (other than the obvious odor issues, a sweet time with a little one), the beginning of speech, the cute things, the toys spread out all over the floor (I remember his "slime ball"--what we called his Chime Ball.)
We took him to Montessori preschool, then moved to a nice suburban community for his entire kindergarten through high school education. I promised I wouldn't move him during high school and I didn't.
What could have been a problem--my divorce from his mother--was minimized because his mother, who is a fine person, and I agreed on many things and shared our boy without crisis or stress. With the addition of high-quality step parents, my son grew up with four parents instead of two, and I think that had a positive effect on how well he turned out.
My son stayed out of trouble in high school, then distinguished himself at a rustic University of California campus, earning not only two bachelor's degrees but finding his beautiful wife-to-be in his first year in the dorms.
After graduation, he developed his accounting chops working for a small firm, culminating in passing the CPA exams. He moved to an exciting new company this year and is on track for big success there.
Providing me with a darling granddaughter while I'm still a young guy is a great gift, too. It's part of the payoff of being a parent to have such a fine, successful, well actualized child. You hope he got at least some of the good stuff from you.
My son shares his exact birthday with a celebrity. Click HERE to see who!
Today, I'm so proud of my big guy!
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