Happy birthday, David: 27 memories

For your birthday, 27 memories and things about you ...

1. You astounded us with how early, and clearly you spoke. And I think you were reading by age 4.
2. The first name you ever called me was "Baba."
3. Your hair. Lots of history there. Remember when you'd charge people a quarter to rub your buzzed head?
4. You've hated football, and loved baseball, for as long as I can remember
5. First night in a big boy bed: attack of the yip-yips.
6. The leech on my salad at Fireside. To this day, it wasn't funny.
7. Neither was the f--- bottle. I can't even say it.
8. Most of your other pranks were devilishly funny. I don't even want to know what all you pulled at college.
9. Your Pacific coast tour with Shadow. What a cool and adventurous thing to do!
10. You were never crazy about sweet stuff. Funny kid.
11. But you sure liked my chicken and rice.
12. Calling me from San Diego, then Cleveland, asking for recipes, cooking or grocery shopping tips. I really liked that.
13. For a middle school science project you had to kill a butterfly with alcohol in a jar, and you cried. I think I did, too.
14. Age 3: admonishing Dan, age 2, for "scaring mommy" when he wandered away from me from Sea World.
15. Playing a Nazi, a rabbi, an old man, and other assorted characters in school plays: you loved it and so did we.
16. Practicing piano: I REALLY loved that.
17. The year you left your glasses at home as we headed out for vacation. And remembering three hours up the road.
18. The ways in which you give generously to others. You know what I'm talking about and would never want me to tell others.
19. Becoming part of a church everywhere you've lived.
20. Not "settling" for less than what you want in life, or what God wants for you.
21. Your laugh. It might be what I most miss about your not being around.
22. But I also miss your sense of humor. It's unparallelled.
23. Phone calls to us on your commute into work. Special.
24. Countless hours on the computer at home, crunching numbers. And learning, learning, learning baseball.
25. Opening the pantry when you're home and declaring, "wow, so many tasty snacks!"
26. Your gift of words. I love to read your writing. But then, it bites when you crush me at Speed Scrabble. Grrrrr.
27. Last year's road trip around Florida with you. Blazing hot. Hysterically funny. Deliciously filling (good food.) And well-planned by you. Awesome.

Though I know you're holed up at the Trop working

on post-season stuff this weekend,

know that I wish you a very HAPPY 27th birthday, and a year

of dreams realized. Love you!

~ Mom

p.s. Go Rays!

Taken last year at Good Samaritan Hospital,

West Palm Beach, Florida

where you were born.