Dean was born before noon that beautiful fall Friday afternoon after a not so pleasant labor experience for his mommy (one that still haunts me like war flashbacks). With his birth was the dawn of a new era in the Gaffner house. The dawn of testosterone.
Before that Friday, our house was heavily dominated by the girls. Poor Michael was completely outnumbered, even our dog was a female. We chose with all of our pregnancies to not find out the gender of the baby. A decision that was well worth the surprise. I will never forget the look on Michael's face when the doctor announced, "It's a boy!". What pride and love to see a father meet his son for the first time. That's one moment from that day that doesn't make me wince in pain. Little did we know that when they first laid eyes on each other that Michael and Dean would end up looking so much alike. Dean Kelly is his father's very own clone, a mini-version of my crazy husband.
Dean's birth might not have been easy but the last four years of his life have been full of joy and laughter. Of course, the last four years have also brought many messes, several headaches, a few bumps and bruises, and an occasional time out. But I would say that overall, Dean keeps a smile on all of our faces. No longer the baby of the house, he has adapted wonderfully in the role as big brother to Christopher. He is a cuddly, loving, opinionated, unique little man with a style of his own and wit that routinely astounds us.
Dean, you make your mommy smile. You make me proud. Your silly grin and sweet brown eyes warm my heart. May you always be confident, may you always be bold, and may you follow but one person in your life... Jesus Christ. Live for him, son and you will always have a smile on your mischievous face.
Happy 4th Birthday Dean!
May God bless you with a hundred more birthdays and
more blessings than you can count.
more blessings than you can count.
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