For Roman on his tenth birthday

Romy Romerson Baby Cakes #2 Our second grandson

You were born

With aunt Barbara’s cowlick 

And her shy smile
You mom’s brown eyes

That one dimple

Pressed into your cheek
Maybe by your great grandmother’s

Loving kiss

Your brother’s face
When he first saw you Eyes round

Amazed and fascinated by
You. His brother forever

Two weeks old
When grandpa and I 

first saw you in Bogotá
Already good natured

wriggling, delighted by
sun puddles and shadows
made on the bed in the sunny patio

Below on the streets the vendors called

“Arepas! Tamales!”
Treats you would later enjoy

You called your big brother
“Gagga”
May you always be best friends.

Gaga taught you how to look at me
Cross eyed, with your finger
In your belly button Teasing me because cross eyes and belly buttons

Make me queasy
He taught you how to do a good Japanese bow
And play the bouncy ball game

“Uno mas again!” 

You said, laughing

When we tipped you upside down
into a somersault

You introduced me to Anpanman

Bread Face and muffinhead.
Benevolent Japanese superheroes made out of bread
You built houses out of 

popsicle sticks 

For gnomes and fairies
And we searched for them in the woods
Of Northern Michigan

I loved listening to your stories
As we walked together in France
In Thailand 

Japan
and Colombia
You holding on to my old lady elbow skin
I didn’t mind. 
Your dad did the same to my mom

You became the master cookie baker
Every Thursday during the pandemic

dancing with your brother
To the delight of your facebook fans
You liked adding the brown sugar
Because it molded in the shape of the measuring cup
When you dumped it out
I could count on you for quality control
Making sure the chocolate chips tasted perfect.

One day we will write
“The art of the fart”
Or “how to avoid a shart”
And discuss the silent but deadly ones
Maybe after we finish knitting
the case for your recorder 🙂

Until then

Welcome to ten
Double digits
And so much ahead

Don’t let anyone dim your light!