HAPPPY BIRTHDAY MAX

Happy Birthday Max
This is the image I saw the first time I met you. You were in your Dada's arms. I was seeing my firstborn son with his firstborn son. I know in your eight year old self, it may not be incredible, but it was to Meme.

Little did I know that day how much I would love you. Each visit with you brought wonderment to my life. As a newborn I would swing with you on the front porch swing of the old house, and sing You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, You make me happy when skies are gray, you'll never know dear how much I love you. I found out later, if my memory is correct that your Mama sang it to you too.

As the time went on and the New Year approached, Meme got to spend New Years Eve with you. We were awake at Midnight, oh yeah! So, I sang and den danced with you in the early hours of the New Year.

As you grew, we have shared many moments. Playing on the swing set, me trying to learn to build robots with Legos, drawing, and your most favorite, reading to you. When you were a toddler, you would pick a book for me to read to you, and as you got near to me, you would turn trustingly and back into my lap with your book. Now you can out
read me, and I miss reading to you.

One of my proudest moments, and I am laughing as I recall this, is when I taught
you how to imitate the elephant noise. You had a play chair thingie, and when you
pushed the sound for the elephant, I would put my arm in front of my face and make
the same noise. Soon you were doing it too. It was an awesome period of time for you
and me.

I remember when you were first learning to talk. You spoke Spanglish, or as your
mother explained to me, a combination of English and Spanish since you attended a
Spanish daycare. The problem would come at dinner time. I would ask you, if you
milk or carrots? You would say something, but, Meme just did not understand. There
in lied the problem, you wanted more, I wanted to understand. Somehow, since Meme
is the Baby Whisperer, we worked it out.

Max, I know this is getting long. I will cut to the chase.
Happy 8th Birthday. My boy is getting so big. I cherish our times together.
Here's to another year of fun. I can't wait.....
I love you,
Meme