Edison, at 1st

[admittedly a gushy parenthood entry]

Instead of a year in review, I offer you a year of Edison. He just turned one yesterday. We celebrated with a John Deere themed party (remarkable, but the party story did not have goods to match my antique Farmall tractor, which I intended to park outside the party as my contribution to decor). In true 1st year baby party tradition, Ed had a cake to himself and made a fine mess of things.

As my three sons' lives go...Eddie's has been smooth sailing so far. Jax has endured four moves, family career changes, deaths in the family, baby sitters and daycares, etc. He has traveled quite a bit for his age; he was in Washington, DC in a sports bar watching the Super Bowl when he was only two or three months old. Carson at least had one move to deal with. Edison, to date, has known no other home, no complicated life. I wonder which builds the better character, or if, even, any of that has to do with building character.

Jax is outspoken, always-speaking, and very creative. He warms up to people very quickly, makes 'friends' at every park or play place, and never forgets a house guest. He is a story teller (in part due to our nightly stories we have made up his entire life) and loves to be read to. He also loves watching movies, television, etc. His favorite playtime activity is having his action figures interact, fight, etc. Carson, on the other hand, is much more shy. His build is slight, his way is subtle, but he is a powerful little man emotionally. Though not as outspoken, what he does say matters. He seems to be a little more of a comedian though less of a showman. He has absolutely no interest in watching anything of any media, but he will allow you to read a book to him sometimes. His favorite activity at play is to cook or build.

Edison, at first, seemed a blob of flesh. He has grown remarkably fast into his own person already. He was the youngest of the three to walk. He, more than either brother, seems omnivorous and has an insatiable appetite. In my recollection, Eddie seems to be more interactive and engaged with others for his age. At about 6-8 months he was already playing cars, and now he can already do 'voices' when he's playing with characters (the words, of course, are not intelligible).

He is also the first to sleep on his own in a crib without fussing. He recognizes a handful of people and loves them, yet like Jax did before him, has separation anxiety (pitches a fit) when we leave him with family most of the time. Edison has never had a paid baby sitter, and he has never been to daycare. He has never travelled much, except a bit by car.

These vast differences are of great interest to me. I don't know how much environment has been at work and how much of it is just some mysterious stuff inside them. I don't know if I believe all that about birth order, but I am sure there is a good deal of peer influence and pressure at work between these three young men. My study of them will continue, but I will likely spare my readership most of it.

Happy birthday, Edison.