April 8

12 years ago our Pal was born.  It really doesn't seem that long ago.  I still vividly remember my feelings of panic when I found out he was getting transferred to the NICU.  I remember the feeling of helplessness as Mom and I watched him turn purple and then blue in that NICU on the first night while the other nurses congregated around someone else's baby who was in crisis mode.  We finally got someone's attention and she came and showed us what to do to help him remember to breathe.  I remember his breathing monitor going off accidentally in sacrament meeting and causing a collective breath-holding as everyone wondered exactly what was going on with our baby.  He was fine, but we were embarrassed to be the causes of the disruption!

I remember moving here and watching Logan race from one end of the house to the other in our furniture-less living room.  I remember the haircuts he was constantly giving himself, and the "cooking" I would find him doing early in the morning when I came downstairs.   I remember the cowboy boots he loved, and the stick pony.  The army men.  The constant singing to himself ("John Jacob-Jingle-Heimer-Schmidt").  Waiting for Aunt Sarah to get home from her mission so he could marry her - and then losing interest two months before her return.  Spiderman costume on constantly. When he learned to flex his muscles.  Proudly doing 75 pushups for the first time.

In our house full of girls, Logan has been a breath of fresh, manly air.  He is considerate and gentle and funny and strong.  He still snuggles with me and even though he says he hates kisses, he kisses my cheek every single day before he leaves for school.  Logan loves books, video games, bikes, sports, all types of games, and building forts.