It seemed like our boy was born an adult. Check out this first picture below. Full head of hair. A thoughtful look on his face which says, "I'll tolerate this bath because I don't intend to take alot of these".
And here we are at 1 year old. He could see right through me.....
I love this crop of Jude when he was two. Perfect profile of a happy, hopeful, inquisitive little person.....
Three years old. Smart, capable and very very verbal:)
Jude is a complicated mix. He appears to go through life much like that of a steamroller, delighting in mowing down anything and anyone in his path. But his flipside is patient, affectionate, thoughtful and sensitive.
Patience: He will work tirelessly to master a new skill. He will sit with his favorite treats in the car, not taking one bite until the car is in motion.
Affectionate: I've always claimed that, next to my sister, he gives the best hugs in the family!
Thoughtful, as in full of thoughts: "At my house, Nini, the beds are downstairs and the food is upstairs. But at your house, the beds are upstairs and the food is downstairs. It's backwards. Can you fix it?" Sure, sweetie, anything for you:)
Sensitive: Jude will burst into tears if someone speaks harshly to him. If I (instinctively) yell NOOOOooo! right before he rides his bike down the stairs, he puddles up from the reprimand, rather than the resulting injuries. He's tough as nails, yet soft as a little lamb's ear.
Take him on an adventure or a search for a lost item. He leads the expedition with maps and instructions in hand and you will encounter dragons and pirates and monsters you never knew were in the backyard or behind the couch:) He's a little book boy and likes to live the stories. "You are Peter Pan, Nini. Ada can be Tinkerbell. And I AM CAPTAIN HOOK!" Look out.
Jude has the power to take a ho-hum day and transform it immediately with his smile, his words, his unbeatable enthusiasm and unstoppable energy. I love him to pieces. Happy Birthday, little man.
