Kyle Trivia

My son, Kyle, is full of many little-known facts. If we want to know something, we say, "Let's ask Kyle. He'll know." He says that information just kind of takes up residence in his brain and he doesn't really know where it comes from. I thought I would give 29 little-known facts about him to honor his 29th birthday--which was last week. (July 24)

1. When he was two, he said "tomorr-e-o" (tomorrow) and hopsital (hospital).

2. He had an invisible friend who would go galloping on his rocking horse named Conastee with him.

3. With two toddlers, I found it impossible to keep our poodle, Muffin. (Long story--well, not that long, but boring.) We gave her away and I cried. Kyle matter-of-factly told me, "There is no reason to cry. Muffin is gone--that's all." He was very direct--He was two and a half.

4. His favorite song was "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" and he sang it with gusto! He loved Sesame Street but he thought Mr. Rogers was weird. He asked me what was wrong with him.

5. He could swivel his hips and dance like Elvis Presley as a little kid.

6. When Ryan came along, he showed no jealousy whatsoever. Never.(He did tell me to,"Put the baby down, Mommy.") He asked me one day if he and Ryan could play Tarzan. I said sure. He then turned to little Ryan who had just started walking and said, "Come on, Cheetah." (I have to admit that Ryan really did look like a little chimp with long swinging arms and short stocky legs.)

7. He didn't require a lot of friends but was very loyal to just two or three. (He once offered to be nice to a difficult little girl if we would PAY HIM.)

8. Kyle was obsessed with Star Wars. "But Darth Vader, I never knew that you were my father!"

9. He thought that if he had the right uniform, he could play ball. (Grandma and Grandpa made me add that.)

10. At 10, he spent a lot of time on his hair. He had something I call a "whoop-de-doo" that took some finesse.

11. Standing in a line at Disney World one year, Kyle played with a strange man's elbow--He thought it was Grandpa's. The man asked him if he had a problem.

12. He refused to go to another school for the gifted/talented program. We debated, but he won out because even though it would have been good for our egos as his parents, he felt really STRONGLY about it. He really wanted to "fit in" with other kids and not stand out in any way. Anyway, we had moved him a few times (3) during his first 3 years of school.

13. He hated to leave his friends at Pantego to move (again) to Indonesia. But the school there really met some of his academic needs in a creative way. He loved it! Socially, the kids there were probably a little ahead--but we moved again when he was starting 10th grade.

14. That move was probably one of the worst things/best things to happen to Kyle. I'll never forget that helpless feeling that parents have when they have done something to cause their child pain. By Christmas, things were starting to improve thanks to football and a church ski trip. He did meet some lifelong friends in Houston, but those first few months were hard.

15. High school years were full of football, "Search" (youthgroup), and school dances. He was a great big brother and always took that job seriously--maybe too seriously??

16. Kyle stood out on I-45 in Houston with a sign that said, "Why lie? I need prom money." That's how he paid for prom. A humiliating time for his parents.

17. I cried for hours when we took him to A&M. Then I went home and stayed in his room and smelled his clothes and cried some more. I hated myself for thinking that he was ready for school at 5--If I had only thought then that I could have had him home for one more year.......

18. I don't know that much about the college years....I think they were fun because he didn't come home that much. He lived in a dark, smelly house most of the those years. Twice, he had to clean out a maggot-filled refrigerator. I guess that was character building. We were proud of our engineer.

19. When he interviewed for jobs, he must have been stressed because once he woke up in the morning fully dressed in his suit for the interview.

20. Kyle has strong opinions about just about everything.

21. He doesn't play an instrument or sing, but he has an appreciation for music and likes to find new and rare talent. He knows about bands no one else has heard of.

22. He is the best gift giver in our family.

23. George passed on his work ethic to Kyle. He is a hard worker and expects those around him to work hard too.

24. He tries to appear laid back, but those who know him know that he is not so much....Let's just leave it at that...

25. He always expresses a desire to grow more spiritually. He does not compromise his beliefs.

26. He loves to travel--something that started when we bonded as a family in foreign lands!

27. He is a great cook--and he loves a good meal. (He talks more when he is eating something great.)

28. Kyle is one of my favorite people--and I'm not saying that just because I'm his mom.:)

29. I love him!! Happy Birthday, Kyle!