Introducing Patch…aka Monkey One

It is hard to believe that three years ago I shared Monkey One’s twelfth birthday with everyone. Where has the time gone? When did we go from Nintendo DS to iPhones? From riding our bikes around the neighborhood to getting a drivers permit in T-minus 3 days? The fleeting passage of time when it comes to our boys never fails to astound me. Whenever I happen to take notice of a memorable growth spurt or change I always hear Captain Kirk yelling in my head, “Give me warp speed Scotty! ” while the Tiny Tim version of me is at his feet waving my arms frantically squeaking up to him, “No, no, no!! Warp speed is too much!”

As much as I may wish otherwise time is not going to slow down. Although there will never be a birthday where my heart doesn’t feel as if it’s being squeezed I have reached a point where I am actually looking forward to the changes that he will be going through during the next few years. However, before we jump ahead too quickly I wanted to reflect on how much he has grown with you guys.

One of my all time favorites bobbing for apples! He and M2 were such cute little imp’s picking our first giveaway winners.

M1 is also the one who can never ever… again never ever!! keep from making faces at the camera.

And well he also has a unique way of demonstrating his brotherly love especially when he knows there is a camera nearby. My biggest regret is that we never enrolled “Jim Carey” in acting classes.

Mischief maker numero uno! The look before he plopped wet pumpkin guts all over M2 always keeps me coming back for more.

Yes, yes we see you! Amidst all of the creatures and costumes our big goofball hardly ever goes unnoticed.

Let’s not forget “No Girls Allowed!” Two years later and fortunately I can say that fact is still true…whew!

At thirteen our little charmer started developing his chops a bit more while I hid under the blankets in despair.

Then to Surferboys delight M1 started to get more into surfing. As some of you may know it’s the irony of our lives that both monkeys could take it or leave it most days.

Then there was the proverbial first dance that you guys held our hands through.

Oh and high school {gasp}! Where my brain shut down and I held on for dear life to him and his brother as unobtrusively as possible.

Most of all I adore looking at photos of M1 with M2. Their love for each other is amazingly boundless due in part to M1’s devotion as a wonderful big brother and M2’s hero worship.

Almost every day I say a little thank you that even though M1 is 4 plus years older than his little brother and is in high school he doesn’t feel “too cool” to play around and be silly with M2.

There you go a tiny glimpse of the past three years as M1 filled each moment with warmth and joy going from preteen to teen. Seeing as how he is a young man on the fast semi fast track to eighteen and all of you have shared so much of it with us I thought it only fitting that he take a big step here on the blog with you as well. I won’t stop calling him M1 anytime soon but some days when I write about him the title doesn’t fit as well as it used to. I suppose that in itself speaks to how much he has matured.

Therefore, without further ado I would like to introduce you all to Patrick, better known to us as Patch. My brother Blaine gave him that nickname after seeing the movie Patch Adams on one of his trips to St. Jude’s when he was little. I could not think of a better comparison. Patch is Patch…ever happy, ever generous and ever hopeful. Happy Birthday Patch! We love you more than you could possibly know and feel blessed to share in the journey that is your life.

All of our love,

Mom, Dad & M2

And thank you all so very much for being there with us!

PS: M2 is keeping his nickname until he is thirty. That’s all.