SEVEN

We stopped by Diana’s mom’s grave on the way back from Thanksgiving. As we stood there trying to find something to say, Luca scurried back to the car. I was sure he just wanted to join Eli in shelter from the frigid Central Illinois wind.

He came back a few second later with a little sandwich bag full of Valentine’s Day candy dug out from the deep recesses of his car seat. Luca placed a little green heart on Sheila’s grave.

This is the clearest representation of Luca I could ever give you. Sweet, sensitive, silly and utterly himself. What other child his age could think to leave a candy for his dead grandmother?

On the drive home, we were talking about how nice the grave visit was and Luca piped up, “I would like to hook up a camera to that big tree by grandma Sheila’s grave so I could watch the candy and see when a squirrel tries to take it and then I could yell at him and shoot him with a laser!”

On second thought, that is the clearest representation of Luca I could ever give you.

Per Luca’s request, we had a party at our house yesterday with board games and pizza and a Baskin Robins ice cream cake the consistency of a speed bump. The immediately party devolved into a giant boy tornado. They had managed to find every weapon or violent implement in our house within 45 seconds and at one point Luca simply stood in the center of our living room and screamed at the top of his lungs. Also, someone smeared dog poop on our backyard slide.

It was a complete success.

Luca, I love you pal. You are the smartest, nicest, most creative guy I’ve ever met. I am honored to be your dad.