Sunday is our youngest son's birthday... I simply cannot believe little Jacob is going to be five years old.

Today at 12:30pm we have his class birthday party in our backyard... barbecue, pin the tail, pinata, pass the present, good times.

Jacob, by all accounts, has been the most adventurous child of ours to parent.

• There was the year and a half he literally hated me. He wouldn't come near me whatsoever, even when he was injured. That was very, very hard as a dad.
• There was the 11 months that he absolutely refused to sleep. We tried everything. Nothing worked. We were completely exhausted. One day he just decided to start sleeping again... thank God.
  
• Jacob is accident prone. He has been in a full leg cast twice. He broke his shin while falling down three stairs when he was just over one year old. He broke his femur while dancing in church when he was three. He has had concussions, bruises, scrapes, cuts, you name it.
  
• He likes girl things: toys, hair accessories, dresses, etc. he always has. This has been very hard for me in many ways, although not at all for Margie. I have needed to get over it. He is a stupendous boy who I love with all my heart.
  
• Jacob is the most affectionate and sensitive of all our kids. He loves to hold hands and cuddle and hug. For the first five or six weeks while dropping him off at school [he is in junior kindergarten], he would cry for me... even when I wasn't there [I guess he was making up for the "hate me stage"].
• Mealtimes are always a struggle. Jacob doesn't like to eat very much at all. He is getting better, but he still often cries after two bites of lunch or dinner and complains that he can't possibly eat any more.

I have to tell you, I am in love with that kid. Jacob Evan Goodyear is simply one of the coolest people I know. He loves his brother and sister so much, and they all get along incredibly well. Jacob detects the slightest human suffering and responds with gentleness and care. He has taught me so much about God, imagination, affection, questioning, and thoroughly enjoying each moment. I am a lucky [blessed] man to be the father of such a terrific kid.

I love you, Jacob. I am so proud of who you are and who you are becoming. I hope you have the best birthday ever. You rock.

Labels: family