Happy 30th Birthday to My Son!

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!

Things My Mom Gave Me

Today, I'm using my 300th blog post of 2011 to thank my mother for all the things she has done for me. She was born on this day 81 years ago.

Of course, the first thing she gave me was life itself. And after she did, she breast fed me--the only new mother on the floor in the hospital to do so. She ignored the "modern" method of the day to do what was right. That gave me immunities (and closeness) that have made me a very healthy person my whole life.

Mom gave me time and attention. She stayed home with me, and didn't go off to work until I was a teenager. It was the times, of course, but it was good to have her there. As a teenager, I'd visit with her at night when she was resting from work and we'd talk about things, too.

Mom gave me the gift of music. She played the cello as I was growing up and filled the house with chamber music. I didn't know it then, but it would be something I'd love doing as an adult. For the last five years, I've played in a community orchestra and in chamber music workshops, just like she did--only my instrument is the bass--in the same string family.

Mom also bought a stereo system for our house, and not long afterwards, brought home Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band when it came out. This not only showed how cool she was but also supported and expanded my love of the Beatles and guitar playing. Today, I play bass in a four-piece band, Red Paint, as a direct result.

Mom has shown me how to deal with loss and move on. After my parents' divorce, she found a new person--the love of her life--and even when she lost that person (who died too soon), she went on living a full life full of friends and activities. She has lost much of her hearing--and the music that comes with it--but she studies lipreading and sign language, still actively participating in life.

I treasure the time we spend together, and hope we have lots more.

Thanks, Mom, and happy birthday!