October 10, 1978......Jeff's birthday. He was due on the 4th, so like his older brother he decided to prolong the pregnancy as long as he could. He was my smallest birth weight baby at 8 pounds 15 ounces and a pretty easy delivery. His head came out, his shoulders came out his arms came out and before the rest of him delivered he had his pointer finger in his mouth. This was before the days of routine ultrasounds, so I'm sure he was sucking that finger long before he was born.
I think this is the only photo I have of him as a toddler sucking that finger, which probably makes him happy, I don't have more!
He was such a contented baby. Amazing blue eyes which he inherited from his paternal grandfather. Of my three boys, when they were little, Jeff was always the "sweet" boy, and the one my friends wanted to take home with them.
He worked really hard in school and was devastated when we moved just before his sophomore year. He did that year at the "new" school and then convinced us he would be happier at the school the rest of his junior high friends had gone to, so we let him transfer. He admitted years later that it was probably not his best decision.
He decided a year after high school that he wanted to be an Army Ranger. Not just in the Army, but a Ranger. This is a photo of the day he left for boot camp in Georgia.
My family was not a big military family so this was really, really hard for me. Lynn and I did go to his graduation, and he did indeed make it into the Rangers and was assigned to Fort Lewis in Tacoma, so that was nice.
He got out of the Army 2 years later and I was so glad. Two months later he let me know that I was going to be a Geema....shock and awe....
He is a great Dad to two beautiful children. He has a heart of gold. And still the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen.
Happy Birthday Jeffrey Poodles, You're So Cutells', How's Your Noodles......
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