Happy Birthday, Nathan!

On this day (25 May) three years ago, Nathan was finally born, a full eleven days after his due date, and over 24 hrs after Mom had first arrived at the hospital to be induced. He was 21 in long, weighed 9 lbs, and had a full head of hair, just like our first child.

By the time his first birthday rolled around, Mom was just barely expecting baby #3 and didn't always feel up to social events such as birthday parties. At the last minute, though, Mom rallied and managed to get together a cake and candles in time to invite over some neighbors before it got too late. The photos on this posting are from his actual birth day and his one year birthday. His grandparents sent him a birthday card, and I've never seen any child love a greeting card as much as Nathan loved his special card. He enjoyed the red velvet birthday cake, too. (He'd had eye surgery just a couple of days before his birthday, so it was especially nice for him to have something pleasant after such an experience.)

We had our family home evening tonight at the cemetery where Nathan is buried, and Dad told about Nathan and what a special little boy he was. Our oldest sat still and listened, but baby #3, now a big boy, wandered around pilfering decorations from the other monuments (not hard to do, in light of the influx of decorations for Memorial Day). Baby #3 is now about the size Nathan was when he left us, the size Nathan will be when we see him again in the flesh. It will be wonderful to have Nathan back, but in the mean time I'm so grateful for the little boys we do have. We'll enjoy each in their own time.