Happy Birthday Boy

Alex had a great birthday yesterday, and the pics will come later. He got some toys and ran around like a psycho with big brother Will last night, and a lovely time was had by all. Now he eagerly awaits his birthday celebration with uncles Keith and Adam and aunts Nancy and Stacey. I figure this is the last year I could get away with having the quick 'n dirty family party at home, next year we're looking at McDonald's at the very least.

I still can't quite wrap my head around Alex being three. He's still a baby, at least I feel like he should be. They don't stay little long enough.

Don't get me wrong, I love that Will and I can kick back on the couch together and watch Who Wants to be a Superhero? and laugh like maniacs (I haven't watched last week's yet, waiting for Will to come home - so don't tell me who was eliminated!) and have an hour-long conversation about our favorite X-Men. But I feel like I didn't get to hold that squirmy baby for long enough. I miss the feeling his of their little heads resting on my shoulder at 4 a.m. when I'd burp them and watch Insomniac Music Theatre on VH-1.

When Will was at the height of his colic bouts, we stayed up and watched Donna Summer's comeback concert on VH-1 (I'm 35, I watch a lot of VH-1). I sang along while he screamed and I just told myself he was singing backup. By the time Donna was belting out her last encore, he was finally asleep and I felt like I had really accomplished something. I had gotten my colicky baby to sleep with no nervous breakdown. (Thanks, Donna!) I stayed up for another hour, just holding him and watching him sleep. His little mouth was half open and his eyelashes dusted his face, they were already so long and lush.

Alex and I would wake up for a little while, and I'd keep him curled in to me while I just sat awake, watching him in the moonlight coming through the window. He'd give a satisfied little sigh and push his head against me, falling back to sleep. Those are the moments we don't have long enough. Maybe that's why I appreciate them so much now.