

tyler.
i always knew how to take better care of you than mom and dad.
as soon as we left the hospital, i had to tell them all the things they were doing wrong.
on your very first week at home, they left you in your crib to fall asleep all by yourself.
what kind of parents would do that?
so i stayed with you until you were asleep.
and then i'd try my best to jump out of the crib without waking you up, but i usually caught my foot on the gate or something, and smack my face. and you'd wake up and cry... and i'd cry.
we'd cry together.
and then i'd hop back in there with you until you fell asleep and i stopped bleeding.
remember bath time, when one of us would pretend to drown and the other one would rescue them?
remember when you'd blow spit bubbles and divert mom and dad's loving affection from your older brothers to your own cuteness?
remember how fun it was to have me steer you through the supermarket by forcefully turning your head with my hands?
(oh yeah... you hated that. only i loved that.)
i remember when i knew i was going away to college, and how much i'd miss you.
- i've loved watching you grow in your musical talent. (from 'the great feast' to 'dust and light.')
- i think you're a great listener, and you have a great capacity for emotional intelligence.
- i've always been a little jealous of how quickly you moved out of your awkward stage.
- i haven't met anyone who doesn't like you on the spot and want to be around you.
- you give great hugs.
i'm glad that we're graduating in the same year so that we can be in the same ZIP code again...
happy 20th! so glad to party with you.