Weeks ago, I wrote a facetious post about why I hate my son. Despite the title, it shouldn’t have taken long for most readers to realize the post wasn’t about hating my son at all, but was actually about how he’s changed my life and why that’s okay.

But since there are so many literal-minded people out there who got upset at the suggestion, facetious or not, that I hate my son, and also dislike the fact that I put such language out there for him to one day discover, I thought – even at the risk of over-boarding on cheese – I should lay it out as sincerely as possible.

I mean, it is his birthday after all!

Top 10 Reasons Why I Love My Son

1st(TIE): His personality
People often say my son looks like me. He sure as hell doesn’t act like me. Ask anyone who knows me, friend or enemy, and they might say I have an interesting personality but not a single one would say I’m happy-go-lucky or laidback or “nice.” Thankfully, my son is all those things, which is perfect for me. He’s so chill that he won’t make a big deal out of it when I’m acting like a jerk, and he’s so friendly and happy that it makes it harder for me to be a jerk. Win-win!

1st(TIE): His face
Unlike some other kids turning two, my son still has a baby face. It’s round and chubby and open and happy. And he has the longest eyelashes I’ve ever seen. Whether he looks like me is neither here nor there; I love it when he simply looks at me with his adorable little mug.

1st(TIE): His laugh
Not sure there’s anything I like more than hearing him laugh.

1st(TIE): His impressions
He’s no Rich Little or anything, but he’s getting there. And watching him emulate everything his mom and I do – from the way we happen to be standing to how we hold the telephone to the way we slap a knee when we laugh (it’s amazing to see him pick up on things so quickly) – is both gratifying (and occasionally mortifying).

1st(TIE): His voice
Not sure there’s anything I like more than hearing him call me “Daddy”. Except maybe when my brother tries to get him to say “Yankees” and it sounds more like “Cockees.” That’s good too. Go Red Sox!

1st(TIE): His love of music
If I had to pick two aspects of my personality I most want to carry over to my son, love of music would be one of them (a good sense of humor is the other, but as he currently finds belly buttons the height of comedy, the jury’s still out on that one). From Dad’s latest indie band fixation (currently the Divine Fits) to Mom’s show tunes, from the bangin-est hip-hop tracks (“All of the Lights”) to the occasional kiddy tune (“Yo Gabba Gabba”, of course), from summer’s catchiest pop song (“Call Me Maybe”) all the way to the Superman theme (how could you not love this kid?), he enjoys it all. On top of that, his favorite toys are musical instruments. I’m totally on board with this, at least until he develops a drug problem.

1st(TIE): His dance moves
He loves to dance. And while I can’t in good conscience praise his dance moves – because he copies what he sees, and what he sees is me, and let’s just say I don’t have dance moves worth praising – I love to watch him shake it. He may copy my awkwardness but he at least adds a bit of his own swagger. If I didn’t know any better I’d think he’d been watching those Step Up movies. And trust me, there’s not much cuter than seeing a toddler getting crunk.

1st(TIE): His hair
I admit his ‘do occasionally straddles the line between super-cute and super-weird. I mean, we have one picture where he looks like Gary Oldman in Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula. I’m not kidding. We’re gonna have to cut it soon, if only to keep it out of his face. But we’re hanging on as long as we can. The last thing we want is for our little man to actually look like a little man.

1st(TIE): His hugs
Not sure there’s anything I like more than feeling his little arms wrapped around me, even when he breaks the spell and patronizes me with a few pats on the back.

1st(TIE): Him
My kid was born just six days after my own birthday. As his birth approached, I remember being worried about my special day being overshadowed by his, and this blog is often about my entire life being overshadowed by his. Then I realized that having my son in my life was like having my birthday every day, and that I haven’t been overshadowed by him, I’ve been nothing short of overjoyed.

So, happy birthday to my son. To say he’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me is the understatement of my life.