Feliz Cumpleaños WALTON

Today we celebrate the fourth birthday of Walton, one of my two favorite boys on earth (the other is his little brother). Those of you that know me and/or know Walton know that I could write without ceasing about this child prodigy, but I will try to keep things as brief as possible.

Now that I am working in Mexico, there are many things I wish I could do, but sometimes I am just not able to do what I would like. Today is one of those days, as I am down here wishing I could be in Kentucky digging in the dirt with Walton on his birthday.

It is tough to put in words just how special this guy is to me, so I am going to tell a few stories about him and me.

I first found out about Walton late one autumn evening when my sister Le called me in Lexington, where I was attending UK, to tell me that she was pregnant. I was so excited that I started running up and down the street hollering to all of my neighbors that I was going to be an uncle. I then called a friend, Julie, who also happens to share Walton’s birthday, and asked her if she wanted to drive to Florence with me to see my sister and brother-in-law. It was already about 11 p.m., but we headed north on I-75, and I averaged about 100 mph (no joke), making the trip in record time. Now that I am in Mexico, where I cannot be extradited, I will admit that I hit 147 mph that night. Hey, I was excited! It was safe – I promise!

Anyway, we had a couple of false alarms before Walton was born, prompting several more mad dashes up from Lexington, but when the day finally came I was in town. I had four tickets to the Reds game (great seats) and three friends in town. Well, the guys had to go to the game by themselves, because I would not have been anywhere else but at Christ Hospital when the little guy arrived. When he came home from the hospital, I was staying at my sister’s house, and one night everyone was so tired and Le asked me if I would take Walton. I was delighted. I laid down on the couch and he fell asleep on my chest. I didn’t realize that Le wanted me to stay awake all night, so I fell asleep too, but only after surrounding the area with dozens of pillows in case he happened to roll off! I was so scared when I woke up a few hours later, and there was no baby on my chest! I laid there feeling around on the pillows, afraid to move, and then I heard a noise in the kitchen. At first I was amazed that he had gotten in there, but then my brother-in-law walked out holding the baby. Whew, was I ever relieved!

I remember on Walton’s first birthday I got him a car just like mine, and I loved pushing him around the house in his little BMW. I think he like it too! It wasn’t long after that when Walton began to walk, and I remember watching him down at Behl Street on the day he took his first steps. Before long he was everywhere, jumping off of couches, climbing everything, going to Reds games and UK games, taking train rides, going downtown (to Shua’s place). The boy even has a bridge across the Ohio River with his name on it!

Early on, Walton really began to enjoy working and building and helping other people do stuff, especially his Dad, the original Bob the Builder. There are not many four year olds (he was actually doing this at three) who can operate a pressure washer and a shop vac, drive a bobcat and a BMW, and propel themselves on a swing set with no assistance. Despite all of these accomplishments, the area where Walton has truly distinguished himself is in his role as a train conductor. Walton began working on trains around the time of his first Christmas. He has gotten more advanced each year, and it is common knowledge on Grace Drive that the way he currently operates the train set cannot possibly be duplicated.

I could go on and on about bouncey-bouncey and hide and seek and the fact that the kid was memorizing books before his second birthday (let’s talk about Rainbow Fish!), but I won't. (By the way, he is now memorizing Bible verses.) Anyway, I just want to say that I love Walton more than he will ever know and I am so glad that I get to be his Uncle Shua!

Walton and I have been doing this little thing since he began to talk, and it is really special to us. I will ask Walton. “Who loves you?” To which he responds “Uncle Shua!”



I then ask him “How much?” Now you have to do the motions here or it just doesn’t count. Walton will stretch his arms out as wide as they will go, and in the cutest voice imaginable will say “Thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiissssssssssss much!”



I then ask him “Why?



And he responds with an answer that is obvious to everyone who knows him, “Because I’m the BEST boy in the world!”



You are the best boy in the world, bubbaboo! Uncle Shua loves you soooooooooooooo much! Have a wonderful birthday!