My son Aaron

I was reminded, gently, that I didn't do a "my son Aaron" blog on Aaron's birthday which was February 1st. So if you'll indulge me....

My son Aaron is very creative. He is very into the theatre, is "the constable" in "Fiddler on the Roof" at his school right now. Was in "Two Men from Verona" and other shows at school. He's helped with lighting on various shows and is going to be the master electrician for "Fiddler".

He will graduate this June, a fact I am very proud of. It hasn't been easy. His counselor didn't get him in all his correct classes when he transferred so he's having to take some classes online in addition to his classes he takes at school. But, he will graduate, walk across the stage and get that diploma. I will be there!

He is very patient with his sisters. Anna is "his baby". He was there for her birth. Heard me yell out "God Bless America" when her head finally came out. (Don't know why that came out of my mouth, but it did.) He was the one who weighed her for the first time. He picked her up everytime she made a sound and was her guardian from then on.

His sisters love him. When he is coming home, they are excited from the time I tell them until he gets here and pretty much until he leaves. They love having him around.

He's patient with me. My house is NEVER all clean at the same time, rarely is any of it "company ready", but he doesn't say anything (much) even though his house in Kent, WA is spotless from what I can gather.

He has a vision for himself. He plans to go to Wright State in Ohio. A long way from here but, we'll manage. We have for years now. Then, he'll do something in the theatre, I'm sure. I hope it's in Texas but if it's not, as long as he's happy, I'm happy.

He's talented in the arts as well. I know theatre is considered art but, I mean he can draw. He has left beautiful drawings here. He and his cousins once got the wild hair to "tattoo" each other and his designs were phenomenal.

I love the fact that he knows what he wants to do and is trying his best to do it even with obstacles in his way.

He's pretty much an easy going kind of guy. When plans get changed, he rolls with the punches. Reading that, I'm reminded of a time when we were discussing the plan for the day and we reached our first destination and we were getting out of the car and Aaron was all "what? what are we doing here? what's going on?". So maybe he just doesn't hear the plan so that's why he's able to be so flexible.

When Aaron was born, we were living at Aunt Brownie's house because his daddy was on temprary duty with the Air Force in Alaska. Auntie B. was my birthing coach and I truly thought Aaron was going to be a girl. His name was going to be Hannah Joanna. I think with the explosion of Hannah Montana, I'm glad he was a boy. The name we had picked out for a boy was Garreth Paul. About 8 months into the pregnancy I decided I didn't like Garreth but didn't worry about it because I was so sure he was a girl. Well, there he popped out. When they told me it was a boy I said "what?" I thought I hadn't heard right. Now I had a dilemma on my hands. When Jon left, his baby's name was going to be Garreth Paul, now I don't like that name. So, when I called him I had to come clean about the name. He suggested Aaron and I went for it. Paul stayed, that name was for one of Jon's cousins in New York. So, Aaron Paul was named.

I got a terrible breast infection as soon as I got home and was sick as a dog for about 3 or 4 days. Jon was scheduled to come home I think a week or so after Aaron was born. A day or two before he was to get home, we were all sitting in the living room of Auntie B's house and she suggests a bath for Jon Michel and I still wasn't up to doing that so someone else did that. Then she suggested a shower for me and I thought "man, I must really stink". But, I took my shower and a little bit later, she opens the door and says "look what the cats drug in" and in walks Jon. A day or two early. My Mom had picked him up at the airport and brought him over. I was so glad I had showered.

Aaron's always been an easy going boy. Only once, I did think he had colic and thought I would throw him out the window. Oh, I also fell down the stairs with him. I always thought that was why he didn't like heights and roller coasters.

Roller coasters...man, that will spark some memories. We would go to Six Flags and he would want to ride, say, The Shock Wave. We'd get up there and he'd chicken out. Usually we'd force him on it and he'd be a wreck. But, as soon as he got off, he'd want to ride it again. It's been that way for EVERY ROLLER COASTER HE HAS EVER BEEN ON. I think he gets that from me. I am that way, too. Although now, I just get horrible butterflies before I ride it, but I would never tell my children I don't want to do it, lest I seem less than brave in their eyes.

We've had some fun times, Aaron and I (and the rest of the family). He's a real trooper, staying with his Nonnie one of the days while she was in the hospital in Colorado. Drew a beautiful picture of Pike's Peak during a rain storm while he was there.

I love Aaron for all his creativity, patience and vision. I mostly love him because he's just him.

Happy 17th birthday, Aaron! I love you!