Vicki the Viking: Baby photos

Whilst I certainly loved the times when my four children were younger, I have to say I have really enjoyed watching them become young adults...it is such a joy to quietly observe them discovering who they are...the 20's are fast becoming my favourite time. I have learned so much from them along the way...they inspire me and I hope keep me young at heart.

Today the baby of my flock turns 23. Happy Birthday Jesse!

As often happens with the youngest child I don't seem to have a huge collection of paraphernalia of Jesse's, not that I think it is all my fault...he was not one to sit quietly and draw or write stories like Ross...and school was never his preferred choice....Jesse is a doer...he was always an outside boy in the dirt, in the mud at the local clay pits, digging holes, creating mayhem, falling out of trees or re-landscaping my backyard with jumps for his neighbourhood BMX bikeriding friends!

Mud is obviously still a winner!

Jesse from an early age was quite an entrepreneur and in first grade created a few quick drawings and together with his cute smile and fast talking ways was able to make quite a tidy profit selling these 5 minute masterpieces to his teachers. They all succumbed and bought off him the first day but were not quite so willing to part with their money the next day when he tried the same tactics again.

He was always a bit of a terror, the cheekiest child in a cute way and got up to a fair bit of mischief but he always learned from these mis-adventures and has a real sense of who he is and what he wants out of life.

Although he does not suffer fools easily, if you earn his respect...you will have it for all time!

As he has matured he's learned that you can't have your cake and eat it...although he will give it a jolly good try!

Jesse is a young man who likes boyish things, having fun and partying hard.

But he is also a reliable, hardworking, sincere and sensitive bloke, who is maturing into quite the young man!

This year I asked what he wanted for his birthday and was expecting something to do with music or his car...but no... he asked for new bedlinen! WOW I wasn't expecting that one! But he insists on picking it out himself as I have never been forgiven for buying him a doona cover a few years ago that he says is pink...however I disagree...it is multi coloured stripes...and just one of the many stripes happens to be pink!

Jesse has always been an independent being, as soon as he completed his apprenticeship and became a fully fledged mechanic he moved out of home (about 2 years ago) and now shares a house with good mates from primary and high school days...Mitch being one of those neighbourhood BMX bikeriding friends and Will who's birthday is also this week...Happy Birthday Will!

However Jesse is always available if I call and need a hand, he is the man about the house when something needs fixing, undoing or assisting me in the garden and he is always willing to bail his sister out of car trouble if the need arises...like he did a couple of weeks ago when her power steering belt went and she thought it had something to do with her having the heater on high!!!!

Creativity is an important part of a balanced life and all my children explore this in one form or another, Jesse mixes his own music...I call him the DJ Mechanic...I know he is groaning now...sorry Jesse!

This is a fuzzy grainy little video that Jesse took of himself last year, the first night he was in Iceland for his brother Ross's wedding, it was the early wee hours of the morning (remember 23/24 daylight) everyone else had managed to fall asleep except Jesse, he is just so cute and now until the day I die the song Mint Julep will always for me be associated with him....be warned there is a little swearing!

Tonight Jesse and I will have dinner together...it will be just the two of us (a bit of one on one time) as older brother Dom is in Melbourne, sister Eva is at the Cannes Film Festival and Ross is in London...I am giving the man meat and cooking a roast as I know he loves that...and tomorrow night we will go bedlinen shopping together.

Happy birthday darling...see you tonight!

Well it is my number 3 baby's birthday...so this is a big cheerio to Ross who turns 25 today! Ross will be celebrating in London with his lovely wife Olga and I believe a dear friend Anja will also be visiting from Germany...your family here in Australia send lots of hugs and kisses.

Ross came into the world in a hurry and a bit too early but he is a fighter and always comes up trumps.

Ross has always been a giver not a taker from the moment he was born and has grown into a warm, hardworking, sensitive young man....just the type mothers are proud of!

I am going to embarrass him a little more now and post a few photos as I know his in-laws Unnur and Thor and new family in Iceland have not seen any of these....sorry Ross!

Ross was and still is a happy cute being, who has always loved good food, especially his Nonna's spaghetti!

Puberty set in and so did the curls.

Ross has always loved to draw, illustrating many a tale....once again Ross apologies up front for further embarrassment!

Ross was a bikie

he lived in Bristol Road

every time he road his bike

he would squash a little toad

Mr DiBlasio was a hairdresser

who often raised his comb

he's mad young Ross on a bike

I wish he would go home

Mrs Gear was a mechanic

who often raised her bolt

when Ross road passed

She'd throw a bag of salt

Mrs Beer who owned the bar

who often raised her jar

when Ross rode his bike

she wished he had a car

One day the town got together

and said "that Ross has got to go"

Ross got so angry

he felt like squishing a toe

Ross went home and packed his bags

he was leaving the town

Ross got on his bike

and left without a sound

Help! I am stuck down the drain.

(I just love the drawing)

When he was 8 his favourite things were drawing, running, eating and hugging...pretty much the same today, except running is probably replaced with the lovely Olga! When he was 11 his nickname was The Lizard King, favourite band of course was the Doors and he wanted to be a rock star, astronaut or animal rights activist.