The Young and the Restless

Thirteen 

We have another teenager in the house. And he's almost passed me up on height. And his voice is starting to get deeper. And he had his first crush and used all his tickets to buy her a stuffed animal at their end of the year party at Amazing Jakes. This kid has had some big changes this year starting junior high, but he has handled it like a champ. One of the things I love about this kid is that I don't ever worry about him. He always stays on top of his school work with out any reminders, he reads his scriptures every night no matter how late, remembers his morning prayers, has such a good moral compass and always tries to choose the right and be an example to his friends. He never has friend drama, works hard at everything he does, wants to start a lawn mowing business to earn money and has his whole future mapped out. Like I said, I don't have to worry about him. He's a good kid, mixed with the usual teenage angst and emotions and younger brother tormenting, but at his core he has a heart of gold. For his birthday he wanted donuts for breakfast and we surprised him with a guitar and lessons. Kylie and Maddox were so sweet and pooled their money together and taped 12 dollar bills around a roll of toilet paper and added some chocolate candy, it was pretty creative and thoughtful. 

I tried to get a picture of her giving him the present, this is the best I got.

I took him to lunch at his requested Sweet Tomatoes. This kid appreciates a good buffet, just like his mom. I loved the one on one time with him, even though I dragged him back to Sally's to exchange Kylie's hair color. He wasn't too excited about that. Jason took him to dinner that night, they hopped around to all the free birthday food joints.

The next weekend he invited a few friends over to go see the new Spider-man movie. He's got a cute group of friends and I had the pleasure of taking them while Jason got the boat ready for the youth lake trip the next day. We came back for cake and ice cream and ended the night with a golf cart ride. I sure love this kid, he is the best birthday present I could ever ask for. I love telling him about his birth story every year, how I went into labor while out for my birthday dinner and then he made me wait another 18 hours before he finally entered this world. How precious those midnight feedings were, rocking him in the still of the night as the monsoon rains pounded on the windows. That cute little voice beckoning me back into his room every night after I tucked him in his crib, "mom, mom,mom....beeee". I never did understand what he meant by "beee", but I love that he did it every night with out fail. The way he would play monster trucks wearing Kylie's dress up clothes and tuck his transformers into her Barbie house. So many cute memories with this sweet first born son of mine, but I must say that I love the young man he is becoming. He makes me so proud to be his mom. Happy birthday, Gigi, we love you!