Jeremy John Eisenstat

1985 --

Jeremy John Eisenstat ---

I thought about how special it was that my first two children had the very same birthday.
I knew this was meaningful, and I felt there was a reason.

On January 26, 1985, during Joshua’s 2^nd birthday party, things became very exciting when just 15 minutes after the party began, my water broke!  That certainly did liven up an already fun party!  I was 38 weeks along, and was not due for two more weeks.  In fact, it's the most exciting party I've ever been too!!  It even took me a minute to realize what had just happened. The party started at 2:00; my water broke about 2:15 and so we quickly went to open gifts, but then my contractions started and we left for the hospital. Jeremy John Eisenstat was born at 6:06pm in the same hospital as Joshua, and we even had the same nurse. What a wonderful, beautiful day!!

My brother Doug, age 14, said about that party:   "I will never forget that day....I actually saw Selma in what appeared to me at the time, to be peeing her pants more than anyone could ever pee their pants....  She was hooking up the net on the ping pong table. I was under the table and glanced up at the right time.....or wrong time depending on how you look at at."

My sister Cynthia, age 17, said:  "Last Saturday, I was thinking about Joshua's 2nd birthday party. I remember all the preparations Selma was working on for the party at our house, and then the announcement that her water broke. Maybe Jeremy wanted to be invited to Joshua's party, too! That was an exciting day!"

My niece Lydia, age 4-1/2 at the time said:  "I remember that day. One of my first memories."

My sister Susie said:  "So, Dad was the funniest. He kept pacing up and down the hall saying, "What are we going to do . . . what are we going to do?" Like he hadn't gone through this 12 times previous with his own kids, and 3 times previous with grandkids!"

I thought about how special it was that my first two children had the very same birthday.  I knew this was meaningful, and I felt there was a reason.  As the years passed, I came to realize more and more the blessings that came to Joshua because of the love and kindness shown by Jeremy and his friends as they would always celebrate with Joshua and include him too.

These two beautiful boys filled my heart with joy. They looked like brothers, but also had their very own unique personalities.  Jeremy seemed to progress very quickly.  In fact, with how quickly he learned things, I began to realize the vast difference in these two boys.

This was a very busy and demanding time as I continued to work full-time.  In planning for my dad's retirement, my parents were planning to move to St. George.  My mom was able to babysit Joshua and Jeremy for a while, but I was very concerned as I knew this would not be for long.  I was very blessed to find a wonderful babysitter, Sharon Pike, who watched Joshua and Jeremy, and my friend Deresa's boys, Michael and Matthew, for the rest of the time we lived in California.

I was also very concerned that Joshua did not pay attention to Jeremy.  It was very strange that Joshua seemed to not even realize there was a baby around. One of the things that concerned me was when he would throw a basketball into the bassinet, not to throw it at the baby, but because it was an ideal “basket” and we could tell there was no realization that a baby was inside. To him, it was just somewhere to throw the ball. His pediatrician told us not to worry as many toddlers digressed when a sibling was born. As I tried to believe my doctor, my heart somehow knew that some of Joshua’s actions were not adjustments to a new sibling, but actually indications of a much bigger problem. 
Joshua also did not hug.  My heart ached for a hug from my son and as I watched other toddlers give their Moms tight hugs, I so ached for my own hugs, that I began teaching Joshua how to hug.  I would place his small arms and hands around my neck and hold them together for my own mother’s hug from my son.  We repeated and practiced this hug for several years.

Then one beautiful day, as my sister Anna was over visiting, I went to give my own hug to Joshua, and, my heart thrilled as for the first time I received my very own precious hug completely given by my Joshua, without any help.  I had no idea at the time that this would be the beginning of years of big hugs as the enlarged heart inside this beautiful little boy was just beginning to manifest itself.  I received the purest, most loving hugs from that day forward, throughout Joshua’s entire life, and through the time of his death.  My heart still aches for my very special Joshua hugs.

... my heart thrilled as for the first time I received my very own precious hug completely given by my Joshua, without any help.

Cousin time continued to be one of our favorite times.  We only lived about 70 miles from Susie and Kyle, and their cute kids, Lydia, Lisa and John.  We loved celebrating holidays and birthdays together, and anything else we could plan to be together.  The cousins really loved each other, and especially John and Joshua had a very special bond.  My heart has always felt much gratitude and joy as John would always call Joshua his "funnest cousin."