Hello Teens

 

Black & Orange Day at school. He went pretty hard with the orange.

The boy who makes my heart so full of the kind of love only a mother can know just turned 13 last saturday.  THIRTEEN!  I just need to make this about me right now and point out the fact that unlike past milestone birthdays like 5 and 10...I didn't cry!  Not even one tear.  In fact, I feel kind of excited for him to be in this new exciting phase of life.  He is extremely social, loves youth group, playing sports and the older he gets, the more fun all of that gets for him!  I think back to being a teenager and I had a lot of fun with my friends!  As much as I would love to be Nolan's best friend forever, I know it will be for the best that I let the boy grow up in a healthy family where he isn't co-dependant with his mom...even if that is really what I want.  

Confession...I get really excited when we text jokes back and forth which has happened once, maybe twice.  It's the best!  He's the best!  Except when he gives me teenage attitude which happens a lot, but I still love him.

Rockin the sweats (his wardrobe staple) and looking cool in Maui!

Just to touch on a few great things about having a teenager and not a child...

1. I don't feel any guilt making him do work for me, for free.
2. He is 100% capable of feeding & bathing himself.  
3. If he loses or breaks something, he has to buy it himself...and I don't feel bad about that either.
4. He works and makes money and then he has to buy his own things.  
5. He is almost bigger than me so now he can protect me when Tom goes away.
6. Big boys don't really cry and when they whine, you stop them by taking away their phone!
7. His friends are pretty sweet and tell me I make good food!  

The cons...

1. No more 'child rate' ever.
2. He needs more rides...all the time.
3. Attitude.

Nolan and his school mates he met at his new school this year. Aren't they just the cutest group of boys?

I think I hated the tweens, not the teens.  The tweens are such an awkward time in a childs life because they are too cool to be a kid, but lack the maturity to actually handle things teens can handle.  It feels good to be here!  I've got a really great son.  He has always chosen really great friends and I love that he has good judgement in that department.  

For his birthday, he actually wanted to spend it with one friend to go see The Hobbit, [I know...boring, right?]  My in-laws insisted on having the boys at their house and I had to convince Nolan that he would have way more fun with a bunch of boys rather than sitting for 3 hours in a movie theater...  The party was so easy and so much fun!  They went sledding, played video games, ate too much food, played hide and seek!  It was a great day celebrating Nolan with such a great group of boys!  

Hello Teens!  Wish me luck!          

My boy, looking more grown up than ever!