ciroccoj | Across five January 29ths

Four years ago

Justin came out of his room this morning, in jammies, still looking fairly blurry, and asked, "Am I four today?"

"Yup, you're four."

He gave himself a once-over from toes to chest.

"I don't look any different..."

You had to be there to see the sleepy little skeptical expression. Very, very cute.
Three years ago

First thing Justin says today: "How old am I?" (holds up five fingers)

Happy birthday Justin!
Two years ago

Justin is six years old today. Exactly six years ago today, on the day that we were supposed to celebrate Daniel's third birthday, Justin chose to enter our lives rather precipitously. He was born at home, three hours after my water broke, with Chris, Daniel, Todd & Susan (godparents), Turtle (godsister), a midwife, student midwife, two secondary midwives, and a secondary student midwife, all crowded into my bedroom.

And, since we already had the cake and presents and most of the birthday party guests were already in our home, we decided to hold the party anyway. Hence the following picture, in which the birthday boy and his godsister are about to eat cake, my mother is sitting next to me on the bed, and you can barely see, within the blankets, Justin's little tiny 7-hour-old foot.

Snickeringly enough, this entry also contains references to Achilles/Patroclus' "cousinship", and the potential... erm, cousinship of Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy :)
Last year

My baby turned 7 today.

::sniffle::

Seven years ago today I gave birth to Justin at home in Kingston, surrounded by Chris (1), friends (2), children (2), and midwives (4), in a labour that took 3 hours from water breaking till Justin came squalling into the world, 8 pounds 1 ounce, on the day that was supposed to be Daniel's third birthday party (his birthday was the next day). We still celebrated it, at the end of the day.

Chris holding Justin, a few minutes after birth.
Today

So today he's eight. Such a big boy. He can get himself up in the morning (clothes and breakfast included), does math at a grade 3 level, reads simple words, adores cooking and food, is getting his green belt at the end of this month, has the loudest voice I have ever heard on anybody who is not a foghorn, outweighs his big brother by twelve pounds and is within half an inch of him in height, is wonderful with babies and smaller children, can skate and ski reasonably well, and has never had any difficulty or shyness about saying I love you.

Here's to you, Justin. May you find as much joy in the next eight years as you have brought to us in your first eight.