Thirteen Reasons I'm Proud to be Guppyman's Mother

1. He is very smart, and I knew it when he was less than a day old. He was born jaundiced, and they were keeping him under the light with a bandage over his eyes to protect them. The nurses brought him to me, and all I could see was his chin and the top of his head. So while he was nursing, I stroked the blond fuzz on top of his head. Guppy stopped sucking and wrinkled up his forehead. I promise you, I could see him thinking -- what is that sensation? I have never seen another newborn do that.

2. He is funny. I know that those of you who read his blog love his humor, especially when he does his spam commentaries. He has always had that dry sense of humor. When the cordless screwdrivers first came out, his comment was "Tell me, Mom, when did you ever see a screwdriver with a cord?" Reading an article about all kinds of seagulls -- brown gulls, white gulls, California gulls -- he burst out singing, a la the Beach Boys, "Wish they all could be California gulls..." He has made me laugh for the last 34 years.

3. He is compassionate. I think the proudest I've ever been of him was when he told me this story: Our one and only homeless person in our small town, Slim, asked Guppy for money one evening when Gup was still a teenager. Guppy said "Come on, I'll buy you a meal", and took him into the hamburger joint. The workers were very upset at Slim's presence and told him to leave, but Guppy told them that Slim was his guest, and either they both stayed, or they both left. (They both stayed.)

4. He is the best father I've ever seen. His life has revolved around the Little Angel from the moment she was born. He has always been able to soothe her, to have fun with her, to teach her, to discipline her without anger, and to give her life stability.

5. Guppy floundered in the job market for several years, and was working in a convenience store when the Little Angel was conceived. He enrolled in college, continued to work full time, and went to school at night. During Christmas vacation, he worked at a Christmas tree lot. He graduated with a 3.999 grade point average. (I think I mentioned earlier that he is very smart, but he was also very determined to take care of his family.)

6. He is very easy-going. He very seldom loses his temper. One time he was building something, and he cut a piece an inch too short. He looked at the ground for 30 seconds or so, then said "Oh well, it will just be an inch shorter" and went back to work. To really put this into perspective, you have to understand that his father would have sworn a blue streak and probably thrown something, while I would have cried and carried on about how awful my mistake was. I have no idea where he got his calmness.

7. He has always gotten along easily with people. He was more or less born into a crowd, with two older sisters and a Brownie troop that met at our house every week. He was about four when he charmed all my relatives and their friends by making the rounds at a wedding reception, carrying on a conversation with every adult there. My favorite aunt always referred to him as "my sweet little Guppy".

8. He loves kids. If he sees a baby, he has to hold it. He loves to play with young children, but he doesn't patronize them. Kids love him back, on sight.

9. He is a very talented woodworker. He can build beautiful things. He takes the time to do things properly, but he gets things done in a surprisingly short time.

10. He is also very artistic. He paints designs on furniture, on walls, on pieces of wood, and I am amazed at how good they are.

11. Guppy has a talent for growing things. Frequently, he throws something on the ground, gives it a good luck wish, and before you know it, it is a thriving plant. His angel trumpets have more flowers than the ones I saw in Africa.

12. He has a good eye for color and design. He enjoys working on his house, and turning boring rooms into exciting ones.

[It occurs to me here that I am stressing the sensitive aspects of Guppyman, so I will assure you that he is a football-loving, beer-drinking, all-American male.]

13. He always brings me flowers on Mother's Day. He has a smile that could light up a city. He is thoughtful and helpful and made the world a better place just by being born into it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GUPPY!