Bruiser

• He called you Bruiser; he nicknames everyone & that was quickly yours; he said that he knew you would be tough
• When you were a baby, he was quite possibly your favorite; you would cuddle up on his chest & be so content
• He was a 6'2" athletic man but as a tiny baby, he would hold you as if you were breakable, so carefully
• He quickly taught you to appreciate 50's & 60's rock & roll, you would "dance" for him (and everyone) often
• You were his swimming pool buddy; he LOVED when you would get in the pool, kick your legs & splash with your hands. He could watch you for hours & thought you were so funny in there.
• He would often hold you & walk you around in the pool, bouncing along 
• He showed you how to "lounge" on a raft in the pool

• He would wave at you with both hands & you would smile so big. He would shout "Tennnnnnny. Whatcha doing Tennnnnnny?!"
• He would gently stroke your forehead 
• We visited him at the office a few times; we took him lunch & ate with him there at the board room table
• He would stop over to visit you at the house; he played "ball" with you rolling the ball back & forth on the ground
• You became quite afraid of him (and all men) & would not let him hold you for a time frame; you would "talk" to him & smile at him but as soon as grandma tried to pass you off, you would fuss!

• When he found out you were being rather fussy for me as a baby, he went out & bought you a swing. He & Grandma brought it over on a Saturday afternoon & he put it together for you. 
• You would always wave goodbye when he left
• At Christmastime he bought you a Colts football & a red & white striped basketball; you pound on them both & say "huh-huh"
• Everything you did was funny to him; you made him laugh out loud
• He came to be with you in the hospital when you had your surgery; he calmed me tremendously

• He was fascinated when you began picking up food on your own. He kept asking "When did he learn to do that? He's so big."
• He told my aunt Mag that you were really, really smart at 9 mos old
• The last night he visited you, he told you that once you got a little older, he was going to teach you all kinds of things
• The last night he visited you, you walked along the coffee table to him; you gave him a high five
• The last night he visited you, he said, "I know we're gonna be great buddies"
• He bought you a shirt that said "little dude" when you were about 3 mos old; he also bought you mini cargo shorts & thought they were hilarious; He would always ask, "Tenny, where are your cargos?"

• He told me that you would be the best thing I ever did… and he was right.
• He would always ask you if you wanted a cigar....then he would always ask me when he could give you your first cigar.
• He never talked baby talk to you but definitely had his own language just for you
• You get your stubbornness (and strong will) partly from him!
• His eyes LIT UP whenever you came around
• You went golfing together for the first time on Father's Day at Raccoon Run 
• You had your first bite of protein with him at Thanksgiving. We fed you turkey at the Conrad in Indianapolis. 
• I prayed to God before you existed to let me have a baby that all our parents (your grandparents) could meet... I praise the Lord everyday that Grandpa Jay knew you & loved you...

... My prayer now is that someday you will get to meet him & love him as well.