11 Years

Cookie Boy is 11 today.

Sigh.


I really can't believe it.

camping

I remember seeing him the first time - he was kind of blue and still, but the doctor didn't seem concerned, so I tried not to panic. The doctor held up this little guy for me to see, then took him back and a moment later, a little, annoyed cry sounded. I breathed easier.

Cookie Boy's 1st, and only, soccer season

The first thing I noticed was that he really did not look like the Young Adult much at all. The Young Adult came out wide-eyed, alert, and strong enough that his favorite position was being held standing up on our laps, right from the start. Cookie Boy was smaller, more compact, and could hardly be persuaded to open his eyes at all. He looked so much darker complected than the Young Adult. He was....perfect. He wanted to be left alone in his little burrito - the blanket all snug and tight around him. Dare to unwrap him for a diaper change, and boy! Cover your ears!

There were many tears with this costume!

Cookie Boy was serious, where the Young Adult was goofy. Cookie Boy was a watcher, while the Young Adult was a social butterfly. The Young Adult would go to anyone as a little guy. Cookie Boy liked precisely two people - his granny and his mommy. That's it, thank you. Daddy? No, thank you! (Until he was 18 months old, he barely tolerated his loving father).
Cookie Boy could get very interested in something, and stay absorbed for a long time. On his first birthday, he received a electronic caterpillar toy. That was hours of enjoyment!

Turning 5

Cookie Boy greeted everything the same way - by crying! We used to sing a song about him. It went like this:

When I'm happy....I cry!

When I'm sad......I cry!

When I'm hungry.....I cry!

When I eat.....I cry!

You get the point.

Cookie Boy greeted each new morning with a good bout of crying. Every. Single. Morning. The Young Adult was happy in the morning, and later, Romeo would be good-natured as well. Frankly, The Mad Toddler tends to be like Cookie Boy that way. It is a little exhausting!

Around the age of 8, Cookie Boy seemed to start growing out of his crying, sensitive persona. Oh, he is still very sensitive, but he is much more good-natured.

4-yr-Old Cookie Boy

But he is still quiet. And you know you have to watch out for the quiet ones. I mentioned to one of his homeschool coop teachers one day that I bet she was glad to have a quiet kid in the class (meaning Cookie Boy). Her eyes widened and she said. "Cookie Boy? Quiet? He is a class clown, always being goofy and cracking jokes!".

A goofy little Cookie Boy

What? MY Cookie Boy? A class clown? Cracking jokes?

He is a second son. So is ArtGuy. ArtGuy has a soft spot for Cookie Boy. Always has. I think because he knows what it is like to have a big brother who always gets attention. ArtGuy's older brother is a great guy - a priest now. Yah, a priest. You can see how ArtGuy may have felt liiiiitle overshadowed by this really neat, smart, kind, helpful big brother. So, ArtGuy watches out for Cookie Boy.

Today, Cookie Boy is a really, really neat kid. He is still pretty quiet, but with a snarky, goofy sense of humor that whips out of him at unexpected times. He has a strong sense of fairness and justice. He loves strategy games, like checkers, chess, and Blokus. Cookie Boy likes to be in the background of things - active and involved, but more of a supporting cast kind of guy. He is restful to be around. He is also terribly practical and logical.

I love my Cookie Boy!

About 6 years ago. Cookie Boy on right.

Have a great year!

My sweet Cookie Boy