Baby Facts:
I found out he was on the way when his parents invited us to dinner at their tiny little apartment in the electric blue house on Cortland Avenue. Cheryl made pecan pie and we brought cherry cordial ice cream. It was a little sweet. While we were having dinner, I noticed on the wipe board year calendar on the wall a date, I believe in April - with a little drawing of a baby face and the words OUR BABY! So I had a little clue of the announcement to come.
I had my boss at the time, make a Star Trek Next Generation onesie for the baby to come.
He pinned me to the ground by grabbing my cheeks with his sharp little finger nails and pulling me to him. I was kneeling on the ground with him and couldn't get away without hurting him. He had me for a good twenty minutes. This was the day he screamed so loud that my husband Tim left the house to get away from him, slipped on the steps and hurt his back.
He limped back in after lying on the ground for a bit (shortly after I freed myself from the death grip) and said, "We are not having kids." This is why I tell Cameron he is responsible for taking care of us in our old age. I hope you enjoyed yourself, angry baby :)
Young Cameron
We gave him a pair of Batman pajamas when he was about five for Christmas. He opened them up and said "Oooh nice! And look, flame retardant!"
When he was about six, I babysat for him and his infant brother while his dad and my husband went to see Cinderella (the hair band) in concert. Cam had a copy of The Nutty Professor in hand and said to me, "Aunt Cyndy, when we put that baby to bed, we are going to PAR-TAY."
I pulled the best prank in the history of ever by baking him a Barbie cake for his 11th birthday. He was mortified. I did have a Spiderman cake waiting in the wings, but only after catching his mortified expression for posterity.
He was not a fan of rollercoasters or rides of any kind. His expression is priceless after the Demon Drop. Even better was hearing him brag to his friends about the rides he'd been on at Cedar Point. I told him at the time this photo was taken that I would pull it out someday when he brought a girl over. When the lovely Alaina Counts came over for the first time, it was sitting out.
He also parlayed an uncanny resemblance to Harry Potter into the biggest draw for chicks I've ever seen. They used to swoon. I think he's imprinted on the psyches of girls of a certain age, because they still swoon. Well played.
One of the great pleasures of knowing Cam has been meeting his wonderful friends. We have so many fond memories of Dungeons and Dragons nights with Thomas Dysard and Charles Taylor, starting in grade school. I remember their first get together back when the kids were in grade school. Charles said, "This is Tim? I thought Tim was a kid! Then Thomas said, "Charles, Tim is the ultimate."
And let's not forget all of the Free Comic Book Day adventures, Doctor Who viewings, Star Trek Parties and superhero movies.
And let's not forget his lovely and talented girlfriend actress and writer Alaina Counts. Our world would certainly be less glittery and fabulous without the queen of all nerds. All will love and fear her. I've come to call her my fake daughter, though there's nothing fake about his kid. Nothing says more about the caliber of Cam than his ability to woo a gal like this. Oh, and I invented the term Camlaina© - I expect royalties when the Lunt and Fontanne of Findlay are world-famous.
I would be remiss not to mention Cameron's many plays. Among them: Hot Mikado, Much Ado About Nothing, Rent, (In which he played the hero, the poor guy who just wants to collect his rent from squatters) Glass Menagerie, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, The Hollow, King Lear, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum and Pride and Prejudice . The kid's a star!
Here's a photo of Cam with his dad Scott along with Tim and Charles at one of the legendary Man Movie Nights. This is shortly before Tim warped the young men's minds with Ichi The Killer.
Three things I will never get tired of talking about:
Cam freaking out when we didn't have place cards at Thanksgiving when he was 13 "But we've had them my whole life!"
Cam singing Juke Box Hero is Rock Band with the lyrics "Juice Box Hero."
13-year-old Cam telling me of his plan to grow up, get his own place, invite his little brother over and then "Bam, right in the face." Look out Mal, he seemed serious.
I also can't say how much I admire him for being wise beyond his years and being strong and supportive for his father during his battle with cancer and a rock for his mother and brother when his father passed away way too soon. I was his age when I lost my mother and it's rough not having the person who would be the proudest of you there at your college graduation.
Here's a shot of the boy in his graduation suit. Looking sharp. And incredibly grownup... dammit... when did that happen?
This charming fellow loves God, his family, the theater and his friends and just life in general. The whole wide world is waiting out there for you bud! Geronimo!
Uncle Tim and Aunt Cyndy love you bunches and are proud of you and any small part we've played in who you are today.
P.S. When are you going to finish painting my porch?
P.P.S Get a job - that one's for your dad.
