Julian's Half

Today is Julian's half-birthday. It's nice because if we want to celebrate something, we can, which is a nice option for the worst month of the year.  But we don't have to, so low pressure too.

To celebrate, let's talk about the little squirt.

• Julian is long and lean. He's a tall one, and he's shot up at such a ridiculously rate, there's not a day that goes by where i don't gaze upon him and seriously wonder what in the hey i'm feeding him.  It's pretty sad, actually. We are in mourning, and it's the complete loss of his babyhood. It is no more. Forever gone. GONE. Gone, baby, gone. DcX (< -- that emoticon is a stretch but if you try real hard, you can find it)

•  Julian cares.  Julian is concerned.  Every once in a while, after he's been in the bathroom for some time, he will open the door and yell out, "you ok?"  and when i confirm that I am, he will go back to doing his business.  I will respond, "I'm ok! are you ok?"   "yeah, i'm ok."  Just checking in. At a totally weird moment. 

• My favorite is the subtle mix-ups with things. For example:

                         A nursery rhyme I overheard him reciting while playing:

                               Yes sir, yes sir, 3 bags full,
                               one for the little boy who lives down the hole.

That poor child! Well, at least he'll be warm.



                        Christmas song, to the tune of Jingle Bell Rock:

                               Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle bells, (rah!) 

•  Remember Julian's friend, his finger? Well, he's named him. Ready for it? Are you sure? Because it's pretty much the best possible thing I can imagine in life.  Here it is:       
                  
                                            Thinger.

• "Mom, I don't call it dinner, I call it night breakfast."       Doesn't that sound a) more delicious and b) classier? and more mysterious.
• For some reason, I love when Julian's obsessions last a long time. It makes it for real.  A legit obsession.  For example, last spring/summer we saw Madagascar 3 in the theater, the first movie he sat all the way through. So yeah, kind of a big deal.  And in that movie is Katy Perry's Firework, which ignited a love so deep and intense in his little core.  It's almost been a year and he still loves it so.  A few days ago during a quiet ride in the car, Julian spoke up and said, "Mom, it's not Madagascar.  I'm just going to call it Firework Movie."   He was so serious that I responded in kind, and the moment became quiet again but the serious feeling that something serious just happened, remained.
  
  Then, this morning he was lazing on the couch when Sean was leaving for work and he bent down to let Julian give him a hug.  He squeezed so hard that "oh no, your head popped off! Bye, mannequin guy who goes to the frame office."    Dad, aka Mannequin Guy.
  
  
  Happy half birthday, pal. Maybe one day I'll actually explain to you what that is, and why we're celebrating the day.   Also, please don't ever turn four.  Always be three. Please please please please.