You have worn three different personas already and I must say that you worn them well. When you were a baby, you were a sweet baby. We all tried to meet your needs of course, but mostly, we just adored you. We loved to be with you. Grammie loved to hold you and make over you, and I got a kick out of tossing you in the air (although it made your mom nervous if we were near a ceiling fan).
When you were a toddler, you were an absolute delight. Your picture was in the newspaper, sledding with your dad (on what I think was the only day it snowed that year), and you also made the paper when Mayor Bloomberg held you in his arms. Oh, and I should mention that your aunt, Kelli, and your mom put your picture on the cover of the children's book that they published. You were very photogenic as a toddler, but what I remember most is the walks that your mom and I had with you, enroute to your preschool, and along the Hudson River on our way to the toy store. I always knew- maybe you did too- that I was going to buy you a toy or a giant cookie before we returned to your home, and just knowing that was fun. You had your first "Frosty" on one of our walks, and we often "raced" from place to place as we traveled. You always won the race because you were so fast, but that was fine with me. As a toddler you loved to wrestle with you daddy and leap off the couch with total abandon. Your trust level and your joy were off the charts then, and we will never forget your love affair with Thomas and His Friends.
You were an awesome toddler, Archer. But being a toddler is just a moment in time, and you soon became a little boy... and Thomas and His Friends gave way to Angry Birds and scores of other video games, which we were (and are) very, very good at! Also, you began to have play dates and become part of a larger community. You and your mommy went to the park almost every day and sometimes Grammie and I were able to go with you. You learned to kick a soccer ball at the park, you found and examined worms and insects at the park, and you climbed on things that seemed too high and too big for you. You hurt yourself a time or two, but for the most part, the parks along the Hudson River were amusement centers for you. Now, my little man, you are six years old. You are blessed with two wonderfully gifted and attentive parents. You are an integral part of a strong family unit, and you have two sets of grandparents who love you no end. You also have many other relatives (uncles, aunts, and cousins- even a nephew already) who love you too. They ought to love you, Archer, because you are lovable. Your smile, your energy, your joy, your observations, your comments, your sense of humor, your heart for others... all of these are remarkable, and when the time is right, I look forward to moving to Croton-on-Hudson (or as near as we can get) so that Grammie and I can be present as you grow up. I can't think of a better way to spend the next chapter of my life...because even though you're 6, you're still little.... and there's ballgames to see, goals to score, fish to catch, and things to discuss... as you become an older boy, then a teen, and then a young man.
Never quit dreaming. Never let anyone else define or limit you. Never do or say anything that violates who you are or might become. And remember...that the most real things in life- like faith and love- are the things that cannot be seen, measured, or controlled.
Well, there I go again. It's so easy for Poppy to start preaching. Happy Birthday, Archer. Grammie and I love you at a depth that is too great for words.
Poppy
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