Happy Birthday, Sean

On Saturday, we gathered the troops at the stately Adams manor to celebrate Sean's ninth birthday.  Of course, that was his unofficial birthday.

Today he is nine.

Hard to believe that the little bundle of joy I wheeled around Hudson Valley Hospital Center on this day in 2002 is beginning his 10th year of life.  His life has seen so much already.  We could break it all down but, really, why?  Sean is working on having a happy life, even as he does it with a lot on his mind.

I have no doubts that there is a lot of his mother in him, and hopefully they are good qualities.  Yet I think most of us know - without a doubt - that he is a carbon copy of me.  For better or for worse.

There are those who may quietly label him as a "brat" but when all is said and done, I think Sean is very typical.  He's smart and very funny.  He also hasn't learned how to handle losing, or just not being successful at certain things.  But he doesn't need to be an athlete for me.  Oh god, no.  He already has a love of the Steelers and Yankees, but it probably won't have the fervor that I have.  That's OK.  He loves music.  He loves The Beatles and Bruce Springsteen.  But he also loves things that aren't my thing.  A lot of TV shows and such that just have never been my taste.  I wouldn't have cared about any of the "Transformers" movies without him, but we have a date to see the third one this spring.

All of that is good. He needs to be nobody else but Sean.

It's been a year of transition for him.  Nothing more to say there.

He thinks I'm mean to him.  I'm rough.  I'm strict.  Blah.  Blah.  Blah.  I can't think of a nicer compliment.  Funny thing is, I know some critics who think I'm soft on him, or let him get away with too much.  To this of course I say, "thanks for your opinion.  Your mileage may vary."

Sean and I are both doing the best that we can.

No matter what, I always let him know that I'm proud of him.  Oh, I'm so proud.  Proud to have a child with such a winning smile and personality.  Proud that he's a part of this flawed family.

I'm so proud that he's my son.  Outsiders tell me that he's wonderfully behaved, and that he can visit them anytime.

He'll work out the kinks.  He's nine.