Last but not least! I've reached the end of the family birthday blogs!!! After 5 children, sons & daughters-in-law, fourteen other grandchildren and assorted other loved ones, just for the heck of it, I've come to the last family birthday for 2013! I started out the year, thinking it would be a fun way to say Happy Birthday to everyone and share special memories about each one, but I have to say I'm glad to be to the end of December.... December 27, 2006 Sloan Ryan Gailey joined our family and what a joy and blessing he has been! He was born in Pocatello, Idaho where his dad (Josh) was finishing up his requisite courses to finish his degree prior to dental school.
Sloan's mom (Brooks) has named each of her children with either a first or middle name of special significance to the Sloan/Zielke family. Since ALL of her kids would be Gaileys, she figured it was a fair trade. Sloan received the most obvious tribute with his mother's maiden name as his first name. It caused the poor boy a little bit of confusion when he was younger... why did Grandma, Grandpa & Uncles Brandon & Barton all have his name??? His name is fitting as he matches our side of the family more than any of Brooks' other kids. He loves pink... like his Great Grandpa Sloan. He's cautious and a little bit goofy... like his mom. He's the family entertainer....like his uncles... and he's sensitive and rather nostalgic (even though he's young) like me. Brooks frequently shares video of Sloan doing fun, uniquely Sloan things on her blog. One of the first was him dancing with Ethan around their living room. There was another of him entertaining at a ward talent show, singing and dancing to a Michael Jackson song. Then, there was the video of him singing along with the Everly Brothers in the car. Most every video of Sloan is of him entertaining himself or others. My very favorite video of Sloan, though, is one that they captured when he was still fairly young. I have this game that I learned from my aunt..."Mousey Come." I start running my fingers up one of my baby's legs, up to their tummies and on up to the neck. As the fingers are "running," I whisper, "Mousey come, Mousey come, Mousey come" and when the fingers finally reach the neck it becomes a tickle with a "Squeeeek." Most of the grandkids enjoy this game with me; some just tolerate it, but Sloan is the only one who enjoyed it so much that he would play Mousey Come on his own leg and try to tickle himself! So glad Josh & Brooks were able to capture that one on video!
Sloan with Baby Sister Claire February, 2013
Sloan has become a good big brother. Although you could see the love he felt for his new little sister and he wanted to hold Claire, he didn't know exactly what to do with her when she first came home and his time holding her would be very brief before he was just done. As I hear tales of Claire getting rides around the house on blankets and such, I think he's found a way to have fun with her now that she's a little bit older. At any rate, I think he's handling his baby sister MUCH better than he handled having a baby brother when Mason was born in 2009.
Sloan, 2009
Sloan is also a thinker. Like a sponge, he absorbs thoughts and conversations around him and works those observations into conversations of his own. Brooks frequently posts those observations and conversations she has with him on her FaceBook page and it makes my day to realize how grown up he's becoming.
Sloan with Ethan Mukilteo Lighthouse Beach Summer 2011
He has a great imagination and is always ready to role play or create a play. He and Ethan had a great time on the beach with me one evening when they were living with me in Seattle as some large driftwood logs became their Pirate Ship.
Ethan helping Sloan with his tie
Sloan has a great relationship with his siblings, but has moments when he just seems to be totally exasperated by them and tries to understand the justification of what's happening. Sometimes he seems a bit like the family Jiminy Cricket, offering the reminders and being the conscience of them all. He's even been known to offer his mother a reprimand or two....
Ethan, Mason & Sloan February, 2013
Back to the color pink... a few years ago his family went on a trip to Disneyland. Uncle Bart, Aunt Emily and I went along too. He loved Daisy Duck, because she had on a pink dress. He loved it when I wore my pink capris. But most of all, he loved his Aunt Emily because she was pretty! That was quite an eventful trip...whenever we wanted him to do anything, it had to include Aunt Emily!
Sloan is such a fun young man. When I'm around him, I frequently feel like I'm with Brookie again; their personalities are so similar. He makes me smile and he makes me laugh and he makes me proud. And back to his love of things nostalgic, not necessarily for him; he just has an appreciation for things of days gone by... it warms my heart to hear him sing along with this song in the car and by special request on his "birthday blog" it's time for some Croc Rockin' Sloan! Happy Birthday! I love you!
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