Happy Birthday Curt

Celebrate!!!!

Happy Birthday to Curt! It was 26 years ago today I was almost 3 weeks past my due date. My mom and my sister, Jenni, came to Florida from New Jersey for the anticipated birth of Curt near his due date... June 25. After 10 days of waiting and no baby, they had to go home. The airline pilots were threatening to strike and my mom had to get back to work. This experience taught me to 1) Always trust my own due date-this was before such acurate ultrasounds, etc. 2) Never tell anyone my exact Due Dates with future pregnancies- just gve a window of time as a possible date. It was not until October that my family got to meet the joy of my life, Curtis James Hostetler, the first child I had the privilege to raise.

The day we called my parents to tell them Curt had arrived, we got a 2 for 1 phone call--Ron's parents were in New Jersey visiting my parents that day. They returned to Florida when Curt was about 1 week old. Grandma Cid came straight to our apartment to meet Curt and to count his fingers and toes.... yep there were still 10 of each.

Happy 1st Birthday! This is the famous Angel Food Cake with whipped cream and raspberry jam icing. My mom has made it for years for many birthdays. Most of my children have had this cake for one of their Birthdays. Recipe Here on Jenni's Blog Curt with Daddy, Ron at 3 weeks old. This was right after Ron completed a year of teaching Science at Boca Raton High School and had just started to work for Wolfe Building.
Being a mother was so exciting for me, especially since I was raising the brightest, most beautiful baby ever born! I just loved to stare at Curt and talk with him. He talked early, walked early, read early, just about everything he did was early. Of course, I did not realize he was so advanced. I did not have a point of reference.
Four Year Old Birthday.
That is Jeffrey sitting on the table behind the cake. Everyone has Birthday pictures of Jeffrey trying to "help" with their candles.

Raising Curt spoiled me as a mother. He was delightful then and still is 26 years later. The only thing I would change is that he was the pickiest eater ever. It made me feel like the worst mother. He went through a phase where he would only eat hot dogs cooked in the microwave. At one point he would have the bread on one plate and the hot dog on another so they would not touch. He was the best eater until his first birthday, and then someone flipped a switch and from that point forward.... he would absolutely not eat fruits or vegetables in any form and most other foods. To this day, I cannot even think of what he actually ate that kept him growing.

In spite of his quirky eating, he is fine and grew to a healthy, delightful adult.

Happy 8th Birthday. We could not surprise you with "trick" candles. There were too many people around leaking the secret (Hmmmm Jeffrey and Andrew?????) Curt requested this Frozen Yogurt Pie as a Birthday Cake. His brothers kept asking when we were going to have a "real cake"

Curt was born in Bethesda Hospital in Boynton Beach, FL. We knew his name would have the family of Curtis in it, but just could not decide if it would be his middle or first name. Right before I had to sign the Birth Certificate papers, we decided for sure what his name would be.

He is lucky I did not consult my hospital room mate who had just given birth to her 5th son. She and her husband were a little-over-the-top-obsessed with Elvis. Every child had some form of Elvis' name (Presley, Elvis, Aaron, Blue Suede, etc). Had her baby been a girl, she would have been named Graceland.

What can I say, It is an honor to have Curt as my son.

Thank you for being so wonderful and for being such a joy to raise at every age.

I love you, Curtie!