Ok let me preface this with saying that I got one sentence into this post before the tears started to flow.
My son turned 12 years old last week. I am forever in awe of this kid, and as he enters the last of his pre-teen years I am filled with mixed emotion. So I wanted to write a quick letter, one that will live on through the power of the internet.
Today you turned 12
Dear Boss,
I wanted to share with you how important this year is to me. As you enter your last year as a pre-teen and we celebrate your birthday, I have to admit that I’m the one who’s received the best gifts throughout your lifetime. When you came into this world you forever changed mine. I never grew up with boys in the house so having a son was HUGE. You were born with a joy for life that I’ve never experienced before. You at the best parts of me and your dad.
You have a hunger for life. You are smart. You are brave. You are strong. You are kind. But…you also want to grow up so fast. I can’t and won’t fault you for that. You are my son after all.
As you’ve grown over the years I’ve seen so many changes in you, changes that remind me to slow down and enjoy every moment with both you and Maddie. My need to want to be there for you, to fix every problem, kiss every hurt, and protect you from all the bad in the world is just my way of saying I love you. You know exactly who you are and what you will and won’t settle for in life. Like that Christmas you got a bike, on your first ride you fell and decided that day you’d never ride again, and you haven’t, or the time you were 5 and decided that you were going to own your own landscaping company and proved it to us by taking the weedwhacker to the front lawn. The way you embraced technology at a very VERY early age. Your want and NEED to understanding HOW your video games and YouTube videos were created always amazed me. I will never forget the days YOU took care of ME either.
My wish for you is that you find everything you’re looking for in this life and as you grow and enter this last year of Pre-Teen hood, I promise you these things and so much more, that I will always let you be a kid, I will always let you climb into bed with me when you’re scared or sick or just to cuddle, I will always support your goals and dreams, I will always and forever be your biggest fan on the baseball field. I will always have a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch in the pantry for you. I will fight for you, I will pray for you and I will always be here for you.
I say it every day and will continue to say it until the day I die, I am proud of you, I love you, you are the best part of me, you are my heart in human form. On this your 12th time around the sun I wish you the best year ever.
Love,
Mom