Jonas is Four!

Four short years ago we held our little man for the first time. Im remembering it like it was yesterday, but of course so much has happened since that joyful day. I remember carrying him 9 days past his due date, laboring for 20 hours, and pushing out my 9 lb. 2 oz miracle. I remember all the pain of that fading quickly away as soon as I gazed at him. After all the hoopla of the birth, AJ and I sat in our room, alone with our son....it felt so surreal to be parents.

It still often does.

We're celebrating you today sweet boy, thankful to have you as a son.

Some thoughts from daddy.
It's amazing how much of his personality shone through on day one. His default visage is one of stoic inquiry. Possibly due to mom's constant photo shoots, posing for a photo has become second nature. We treasure these rare smiles that hide a mixture of mischief and genuine sweetness. The term strong-willed has been used to describe Jonas. As a first born he "suffers" from a perfectionist mindset. Bundling these attributes together has produced an incredibly independent boy whose very stride exudes self-confidence. The consummate athlete it no longer amazes us that he ran by age 1, dribbled a basketball by age 2, hit baseballs by age 3, rode a 2-wheel bike months ago and is nearly swimming now. I love how my day is punctuated by Jonas. He has served as my alarm clock for most mornings over the past 4 years. He sometimes finishes his first breakfast while I'm still readying my coffee, but always sends me to work with a hug and a kiss. Each evening when I return home from work I am greeted with exuberant shouts and quickly recruited into some activity. Currently the favorites include wrestling in the living room, swinging in the back yard and fighting "bad guys" as pirates (who don't do anything). After dinner, our bedtime routine includes several books and songs. I can't imagine what the next 4 years will bring as he grows and grows, but am glad to be his dad.