Will is One

Brig is out of town and we all are under the weather today, so this is how we celebrated Will's birthday. He will have a real party on Saturday. Katie bought this ball from a little coin machine during our outing to the thrift store today. Happy Birthday!

Andrew says that you are a funny baby. I say that you are wonderfully independent. You let me take showers while you entertain yourself. You sometimes get so mad that you turn away from me in a huff and refuse any entreaties. You love sweets and will refuse all food until you see something unnatural in a shiny wrapper. I often give it to you; you are underweight, after all.

You love balls more than any child I have ever seen. I even got you to eat some usually-rejected food by rolling it in a ball and identifying it as such.

See that bruise on your forehead? That came from a terrible collision with the headboard of Andrew's bed. The corner of it. That bruise was raised and carried the shape of that headboard. You cried for exactly as long as it took me to get my hand inside the large bag of chocolate chips I use to comfort you. Then you actually got happy and excited.

You love to do whatever it is that Andrew is doing. You are no weak baby brother, however. I have seen you crawl or stumble over to Andrew while he puts magnents on the fridge and push him with your baby hand. You have also attempted to push him away with foot or hand when Andrew encroaches upon your lap time with Nana. I suppose you have learned that you have to stick up for yourself.

One of my favorite memories of you standing up for your rights was this summer when Andrew snatched a ball away from you. The look on your face was pure outrage and shock. You looked at Nana and I with an expression that unmistakeably screamed, aren't you going to do something?! Your favorite word, incidentally, is "NNNoo!" "Ball" is a close second.

You also are trying to say Andrew's name now. You want to be where he is, doing what he is doing and with the toy he is using. You and your brother have much in common and I hope that it leads to a wonderful friendship rather than a rivalry. I also hope that I won't evaluate you by constantly comparing you to Andrew. It is sort of hard, since you are both born in the same month, and you seem to be twins separated by 2 years. Except that you are tougher. Andrew is constantly remarking, with true admiration in his voice: "Look how brave he is!" Usually this statement was preceded by an assault on you. But you are brave. As you have to be.

This skeleton suit is rather appropriate since you are still way too skinny. You have, however, finally doubled your birth weight!

Will, we love you, even if you may have an entire childhood of slap-dash parties in store. I think I will be better when I have your disappointment to face when I fail you.