16

Posted in The Everyday Life

It hasn’t snowed, heavily, on January 6th… for 16 years.

I know this because it’s my sons birthday. And plans have never been canceled. School has never been canceled. And he has never had a snow cake until today.

All that aside.

We still managed to make it to the DMV. He still managed to become a licensed driver.

And I am one petrified parent.

……….

If I could give any advice to parents of little ones…. please don’t get mad when experienced or older parents tell you to enjoy ALL the moments. Even the really shitty ones. Don’t wish them away. Please. Please stop getting mad at that. We know what we are talking about. Because when you get to this stage, you will wish you were still up at 3am trying to get them to sleep, or eat, change a diaper, or stop crying. You will. I promise.

Because when they are 16, at 3am, you might be awake wondering so many other things that are so much bigger and WAY more real than what is fixed in a rocking chair or in a bottle or a comfy blanket and a soft voice or a lullaby.

The later teen years, I have to say have been surprising for me. Something that I expected, but still caught me by surprise. Emotionally more than anything. My son has my personality, through and through. We are so very much alike. Stubborn. Hard headed. Independent. Aloof at times. Smart mouthed at times. Fire on ice at times, but never ever for long. But also, an incredibly well rounded kid. Hard working. Calm. Thoughtful. Gifted in so many ways. Not exactly like me, but handles the world a lot like I did and do. His sense of humor is dry, and he loves sarcasm. And his sense of style… well, I will take full credit for that. (ZZtop would be proud.) And he has great hair.

And I’m the type of parent that really really really wants to hold on tight. But I won’t, because I know it’s ok for him to be him. The tighter the reins the harder the buck. However hard that may be. I’m the kind of parent that will let him fall, pick himself up and keep going. I’m going to let him make mistakes. I’m going to let him take credit for failures. I’m going to let him celebrate victories and accomplishments and jump up and down for him like he’s won the olympics every single time.

I’m going to let him….live.

I will alway be there…

Always.

NO MATTER WHAT.

I will always be the biggest cheerleader. I will ALWAYS cry at happy and sad things and every single movie we ever go to. He will always be embarrassed of that and I don’t care. He will love me for it too. I will yell the loudest. I will sit in silence. I will hurt more than he hurts when he’s hurt.

That’s what mom’s do.

Happy sweet sixteen Dinodude. You are so loved.