1. you are not embarrassed to do our blow-kisses-and-catch-them thing in public, even if it means doing it in front of your co-workers when I drop you off at the hospital.
2. your chortle. (not to be confused with a chuckle, although yours is very adorable too.) this is guttural, short-lasting, and contagious.
3. your delayed reaction to things we do or eat or see..."remember that pasta you made last week? I can't stop thinking about it!" or "The hike we went on last month was the best we've ever done in California." your reactions are always worth the wait.
4. you wake up happy. 'nuff said.
5. how at any time of night I can say I love you and somehow you find the ability to swim up from your deep sleep to mumble I mmmmloversmmmyouuuu mumble mumble.
6. how you can expound on any sports trivia with anyone, anytime--and the twinkle in your eyes as you do it.
7. you let me pick at your ears like a mama gorilla when I see little flakes in the lobes. even though you whine and give me the Moooooooooooom, stop! bit the whole time.
8. speaking of gross, you let me peel your sunburnt skin because you know I get a thrill from pulling up a big, intact piece.
9. you're always self-professed "ready" to go somewhere even if obviously not. You can be standing there half-dressed and I'll be nagging you that we're late, and your answer is still, "I'm ready!" I do find that endearing (when we're out of those harried moments).
10. how you will dance just to put a smile on my face.
11. the way your feet have to be sticking out from under the comforter when you sleep.
12. the way you need a huggy pillow when you sleep, with one arm thrown across me.
13. the way you chew the insides of your mouth when you are deep in thought.
14. the way you hyperextend one knee, slightly crook the other one, and shift your hips to one side when standing still.
15. the way you are so patient and good to me, even when I am a monster.
16. how I can look across a room at you and you'll subtly and quickly squeeze your eyes shut for a split second--just to gently remind me that I'm loved.
17. you are so good at being assertive. you are downright brazen sometimes and I love that. I'm starting to follow your lead...slowly, but surely.
18. your snores alternating with sighs alternating with, sometimes, whistles(!). I wish I didn't need sleep so I could listen to that cacophony all night.
19. your excitement over man-caves, gnomes, poo chambers, baseball, restaurants, and wine.
20. the fervor and excitement oozing from you when explaining a great trade, RBI, ERA, or some other foreign abbreviation to me in regards to your fantasy baseball leagues (to everyone else: yes that's leagues as in more than one, aren't I lucky?!), as if I have any idea what on God's green Earth you are talking about...for the record I know it stands for Runs Batted In and Earned Run Average...Pook, aren't you proud?
21. your complete honesty
22. your loyalty
23. you are up for anything--from tweed rides to bungee jumping to city scavenger hunts to group dancing at subway stations. when we went rafting on the Colorado you told the group that the reason why you were there was, "I want to be where my wife is. And she wants to do this, so here I am."
24. your love of all animals, especially ours. you even find something good to say about Tasha, the husky who bit the lapdog's eye off.
25. you are without a doubt the funniest person I've ever met.
26. I turn into a puddle at just the thought of you as a little boy: navigating through the streets on your paper route, spending the entirety of your manure-shoveling paycheck on candy, and building a soapbox car alone. (the last one really does make me cry. someday we will build a soapbox car together.)
27. the way you get mildly frustrated when you say watch my back whenever backing up the car, and instead I'll stare only at your arse. i'll watch your back all right :)
28. you never forget our private jokes. give that kid a firepiece. eeeeeeemaaaa. four wives! errrr, switch?
29. you do the best kermit voice. i can't wait to hear you sing rainbow connection to our kids someday.
30. you are so good-natured. Speaking of future kiddos, I really really really hope they have your temperament.
31. your strong work ethic. you put yourself through nursing school while holding down three jobs. no one can ever accuse you of being born with a silver spoon in hand, yet you rose above everything.
32. you are so easy on the eyes.
33. the way you butcher that famous 8-note whistling tune from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Writing this I'm smiling just thinking about it.
34. your strong sense of politics. well, I love your politics 95% of the time.
35. I love that you served our country and once drove from Arizona to Washington just to thank a complete stranger who wrote you letters when you were deployed.
36. your strong moral compass. I can't even get you to sneak into a movie with me.
37. you don't procrastinate. when buying something that needs to be assembled, it gets done that day. (I wish that quality would start rubbing off on me.)
38. you are stubborn, but not that stubborn...after all, I did finally get you to come around and agree to a date. with me. and now look.
happy birthday, amazing man. it's such an honor and still a thrill to say i'm yours. I love you.
