8 years ago today… it was a beautiful Saturday in November… our grandson Andrew decided that it was a great day to be born. Keith and Nicole hadn’t found out the gender of this new little baby, but lots of guesses had been made. This baby would join his Mommy and Daddy and his big sister, Taylor, who would be turning 2 that coming January.

I am not good at guessing the gender of babies. As a matter of fact, I’m beginning to think that you can use me as a gauge… because whatever I guess, just say the opposite and you’ll be right! Andrew was no exception. I had guessed he was a girl.

I couldn’t have been further from the truth. Andrew is a boy among boys. Andrew is fun and funny. He is super smart. Andrew is adventurous and curious. He is kind and helpful. He loves to dance and he loves his DSI. Andrew is willing to try new things and he’s always ready to give his best. He skis, swims, plays basketball and baseball and football. He’s magnificent in all of them.  He climbs high, he jumps high, he is fearless. Andrew laughs more easily than anyone I know… a laugh that is distinctively his. And Andrew uses his laugh often.  Sometimes, when this grandma says things that maybe she’s not supposed to say, Andrew looks at me, then at his parents, and bursts into the most contagious laugh.  He gets humor… really gets it.  Andrew is a great reader and has a wonderful imagination. Andrew has this raspy little voice that could put him in movies.

Andrew has these giant blue eyes and eyelashes like butterflies.  He walks with deliberation and always has something important to do.  Like today… 8 years ago!  I can’t even believe I ever thought this new baby… our 3rd grandchild… was a girl.  No way!  Those 3 words IT’S A BOY! will forever sing in my ears.  I can hear Keith saying this over and over as the hospital elevator opened and out walked Keith.  IT’S A BOY!  Andrew entered our lives and our hearts and this is where he lives.  Every day.  Making every day a truly joyful journey.

If I blend all of Andrew’s characteristics, you’ll get one word: AWESOME.

Andrew is AWESOME. He was born to be AWESOME.

8 years ago. We waited and waited for news of this new little miracle. All morning. Into the afternoon. Waiting. Waiting. The news? A BOY. An AWESOME boy! Our first grandson!  This photo was taken at Auntie Janie’s birthday party… Auntie Janie and Andrew have birthdays 5 days apart!  Andrew has a smile that lights the world… !

Barry and I began a little tradition of picking out special pajamas for each grandchild to give to him/her on the day of their birthday each year.  We have them monogrammed with the child’s name and the date.  We take great care in choosing just the right pajamas on that particular birthday.  Well, we found the perfect ones for Andrew… and I’ll be wrapping them up to give to him tonight.  The pajamas say it all…

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANDREW!  WE LOVE YOU FOREVER!