This picture is Jerome at three years old minus one day. You cannot see how dark he has become in this photo. I will try to get one today that shows his new, sunshiny coloring.


Here he is today with both rice pudding and toothpaste on his shirt. He has darkened up the most of all of us and he was not the darkest to begin with. Rich was scrubbing the dirt off his legs the other night and couldn't get it all off. He finally realized that the remaining dirt was actually just the new color of Jerome's skin.

The children and I finished priming the wall behind him today. It no longer has the scary stains and most of the scrapes and holes are masked. The people who lived here before evidently shot bbs and poked pins in frequent and random patterns all over every wall.

Jerome is three years old today! He is endearing and sweet and affectionate and we are so glad we have him. He's a precocious little boy, too, which we hope is something he is getting from his namesake. He still has a little of St. Jerome's temper and irascibility, but his desire for holiness and knowledge are already showing themselves in him. How can you not love this guy?

Three Thrilling Things About Jerome
1. He is adorable! I think he's one of the cutest children in the world and who else should know better, I see him every day.
2. He is hilarious. Our lives are filled with laughter because of him. I was explaining stinginess to the children and how it was a bad thing (we read it in a story) that we should not do. Jerome piped up "Why can't we?"
3. He is persistent. He still insists he's marrying Kyrie, Mike. He has a little song and dance about it now.

And here is my baby when he was first born, wrapped in a blanket I knit for him. Which he has recently discovered I made for him and is busy bragging about to his siblings.


I think his was the first birth announced on this blog. May he have many, many more years on this earth. Happy birthday Jerome!

Labels: Birthday, Family