Leonardo De Vinci turns 13 today!

So today is Aaron’s birthday. Wow, a teenager! But for those of you who know him, he’s been perfecting the teenager act for quite some time, and he’s got it down pat.

Cyndi and I brag to our friends that he’s our Leonardo Da Vinci. Leo is my favorite historical figure because he was good at many things, namely art and science, and he was far ahead of his time. I like to think when I was a kid that I was good at a similar combination of art and science, having made many drawings(mostly of cars) and having excelled in math & science. But it really pleases me to see Aaron blossom along these lines.
If you’ve seen the art we’ve posted here and on our web page, you’ll no doubt agree that Aaron has the artistic gene. His art teacher in school says that he has the gift of communicating what’s in his imagination directly to canvas. She also says he has a unique image in his head of what it is he wishes to communicate. He might be looking at a set of white vases on the table, but in his head, they are purple vases, so that’s what he paints. And for those of us watching, he does it effortlessly. He also has a unique imagination  and skill when it comes to computer art and graphics. Any look at his web pages will confirm that.
Musically, he’s supremely talented. He was playing recorder by ear long ago, and when transitioning to clarinet, he played the same songs by ear, having of course mastered reading sheet music. Now on bass, he is creating new things. His bass teacher says he’s got a fantastic ear, and I’ve enjoyed that first hand playing with him in church. I particularly enjoyed listening to him, Adam and cousin Trevor jamming in Texas this past Christmas, with Trevor just playing a line and Aaron picking it up and adding decorations to it.
Aaron also makes my laugh by remembering key movie lines and dialogue from the more warped movies we enjoy watching together. I won’t go into detail here because you really have to be there. He would have fit in perfectly with my high school and college friends.
Academically, Aaron is a whiz. He really knows his stuff in many subjects, and you can imagine the discussions he and Adam have over the specifics of grammar or math or scientific facts. He finds the subtleties in many areas and raises good points that often elicit from me a “Oh…I haven’t thought of that”
So, Happy Birthday, Aaron “Leo” Matthew Hernandez! I’m so glad you were brought into this world for all of us to share.
Love,
Dad