Yes, five years ago today, my nephew Zachary was born. For the duration of his infancy, he evinced a rather suspicious attitude to the world, as shown in this picture of him taken at my cousin Jen's wedding:
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| "These people know the Macarena is so ten years ago, right?" |
And he has since then grown into a very serious and focused child, one who will wave off all help on a jigsaw puzzle because he's just going to get it, dammit! And he does. But he shares his sister's mischievous tendencies, and has a grin that would charm Voldemort.
To wit, a story my brother once told me that kind of sums up Zach: Matt, who runs triathlons, had gone with the little guy to Runner's Room to get ... oh, I don't know, whatever psychotic people who run triathlons buy at high-end sporting goods stores. There was a women's running clinic on, so Matt discreetly made his way around them, but Zach walked right up in front of the audience. For a few seconds he stared at them very solemnly. And as they all melted at his cuteness, he started to dance.
Be afraid, ladies. Be very afraid.
Anyway ... Happy birthday, Zachary. Your Uncle Chris is ... crushing your head!*
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| Seriously. Imagine this at the age of twenty-five. |
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| Not sold on the whole fishing thing yet. |
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| "Why, yes ... I do in fact have radioactive blood. Why do you ask?" |
*For those unfamiliar with The Kids in the Hall: this is not a weird psychotic non sequitur.
