Richard III

He was born at 42 weeks. After several false alarms my doctor jiggled things around and with the help of some drugs he came into the world, finally. He was my third and the only one I remembered to sing Happy Birthday to right after delivery, on his true birthday. They brought him to me and as he reached out of the swaddling blankets I flinched. His hand was not only enormous, but blue. It reminded me of the show “Chiller Theater” where a creepy six fingered hand reaches out of the ground in the opening credits. The next day Dr. Reyes assured me that it was just like puppies – big paws meant he would grow into a big boy. And he did, 6’2” at the last telling. You’re welcome for those long legs 🙂

He was the easiest baby and the most diplomatic.  While his eldest sister’s first word was “da” and his almost twin sister’s was “ma”, his was the middle of the road “ba”, showing no favorites.  He was and still is a happy child and young man.  He smiled early and often.  He would wake up smiling, sleeping with his hands clasped behind his head.  He kept his room organized, read voraciously and is so incredibly thoughtful.  He would refuse to part with his old clothes or toys because he attached a special memory to everything.  He would even save the wrapping paper from his gifts.  He cried so much when we put our old, denim couch on the curb that I had to cut a swatch of it and make him a pillow.  He loved his pink rose flannel sheets and would carry the pillow, that he called Rosy, on many trips.  He loves to travel but many times is oblivious to the destination, asking while in the car, “where are we going?”

He is so intelligent. I had to limit him to check out only the library books he could carry every week when he was in elementary school. His teachers loved him and wrote glowing comments but they noticed the perseveration. He can get caught up so much in his work that he is sometimes paralyzed and overwhelmed. Ironically, he compensates for this by procrastination. And, most infuriating, is that this last minute strategy always works out; reinforcing this terrible habit. He presents himself with such confidence and a sense of humor that people want to help him out. In middle school he discovered chess, bringing his chess board to the dances, and was one of the youngest players at the weekly library chess club. I would drop him off and watch as he mingled with adult players with ease; so comfortable in his own skin.

I thought college would be a breeze.  But apparently triple majoring in STEM during a pandemic is not easy.  Yet, despite some underwhelming grades, he manages to make Dean’s list every year.  His tenacity is impressive.  He developed back problems as a teen.  Nothing breaks your heart like watching your beautiful son hunched over in pain walking with a cane and taking exams lying on the floor of their classroom or hiking Kokohead in Hawaii hobbled by pain.  For that alone he deserves to be on the Dean’s list. 

He’s been an Engineer since he was in Elementary school, starting with his fascination with refrigerator motors in the first grade to his love of Physics in middle school and to recently teaching himself to repair and bring an old car back to life. He loves his sisters, although he cried over how mean they were when he was younger, he’s the glue that holds them together.  I don’t know where he’s going from here but he’s always wanted to work in Aerospace so it’s only going to be up.