Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. ~Elizabeth Stone
My Dearest Chadwick,
I can’t believe it! You’re 17 years old! Happy Birthday!!! So it’s also time for me to embarrass you publicly. One day you will look back and read these with much more appreciation than you do now but that’s ok, that’s how it’s supposed to be.
It seems it was just yesterday we were in the hospital and I was able to breathe for the first time! Your 19 inches in my 60 inch frame didn’t leave much room! My heart changed when you were born. It filled in ways I could never imagine. When they placed you in my arms I felt complete.
- Our first moments
You then!
|
You as baby/kid |
You as a teenager / young man |
| Easy going | Easy going verging on lazy sometimes! |
| Little fashonista | Expensive fashonista |
| You liked Celine Dion, Creed, N’Sync and played air guitar. | You like Tank, T-Pain, Jay-Z, IPODs and $100 ear buds. |
| Night owl | Night owl |
| Hot wheels and Power Rangers | Toyotas and Girlfriends |
| Spyro | Call of Duty |
| You hugged me all the time! | You never hug me! |
| You listened and believed everything I said | You pretend not to listen and question everything |
| You love to travel | You still love to travel |
| You read your books all the time | You never read |
| Funny, funny, funny | Funny, witty, charming |
You now
Being a mom of a teenager has been way scarier than a mom of a baby or toddler. When you were young I had fears but I had some control over things. Now, I have even bigger fears and I have even less control. I have trust YOU at a time when the risks are so much greater! Have we instilled in you enough sense that you will not take stupid risks? I hope so.
My day to day management of your life is almost over. In less than 24 months you should be living away from home and going to college (assuming I can get my kidney sold!). At this point, dad and I have little control over you. We can guide, suggest and yes, nag, but there’s nothing we can make you do anymore. I hope we have instilled in you the knowledge, values and good sense that will allow you to survive and thrive on your own. My single greatest wish is for you to be happy and self-reliant. I will be lost and lonely without you. I know you don’t believe it but I will.
You’ve going to start making your own decision on the direction your life will take but here’s a little bit of advice from mom:
- Chase your dreams (after you get your degree)
- Be fearless!
- Take (smart) risks!
- Go places! See the world!
- Pick great friends!
- Be a great friend!
- Always learn something
- Help people (it always comes back to you)
- Learn to dance with a partner (girls love it!)
- Be respectful to women
- Be kind
- Learn to love reading
- Hug your mother more an
p.s. Someone told me the other day, “Chad’s just like you!” I know you hate that but it made me happy!
Clever father, clever daughter; clever mother, clever son. ~Russian Proverb
