Enter the Teenager.

Despite the fact that people all around me have been raising kids for years and have all experienced the entrance of their children into teen-dom, I sort of didn't think it would ever actually happen to me.  To us.  To my sweet little guy who was my best buddy and constant companion.  Suddenly that chubby-checked cherub has turned into a long-limbed eating-machine who flails around the house in wild mood swings of hyperactivity and sullen brooding.  I have for the most part managed to sit back and kind of stay out of the way, but I confess to occasionally trying to jump on the merry-go-round and try to add rational thought or a calming influence to the equation.  It usually doesn't go very well. Much to our mutual chagrin.

Nonetheless, the 28th of October was a day to celebrate.  Let's get these teen years going, already.  And I'm not going to deny that choosing gifts for this fan-boy fanatic isn't terribly fun, because it really is.  We knew we'd make his day with some very cool action figures like Boba Fett and a nasty looking Spider Man villain.  He got his first real (Star Wars) comic book as well as the Jurassic World Blu-Ray.  Tons of fun.  My favorite find was a total surprise for him - he's been enjoying the tv show The Flash lately (I couldn't be more proud - I've poured my nerdiest nerd-loves into him) and he had no idea that The Flash has his own action figure and he's pretty dang cool. I loved surprising him with that.

In the morning we had (what else) Swedish Pancakes with some sugar and butter and some sugar.  And butter. Don't forget the sugar.  It's really a treat to have little mini parties at breakfast with just one or two gifts - our own private family party that no one comes to but us.  That's when I gave him The Flash.  Maybe anti climactic to give him the gift I was most excited for at the beginning of the day, but I liked having that gift be just among family.

I was a little surprised that Cap didn't want anything special for lunch or for anyone to take him out or bring a treat - he said he didn't want his friends to feel bad.  I thought that was sweet, and sent several kit kat bars in his lunch so he could divide them up among the kids he sits with. It was sort of my junior-high equivalent of bringing cupcakes to share with his class.

We didn't really have a party - we just had some friends over for fried chicken and mashed potatoes.  He pushed hard for crab legs but HELLO those are expensive at Costco.  So...not all birthday wishes come true.  We just hung out and ate and played and had cake and ice cream and called it a night.

It felt like a great birthday, even if a little different from the years where my life was taken over by a large party with themed plates and goodie bags and a sure-to-fail weird cake and .....now that I think about it, I'll take a junior high party any day!!  Yay teenagers!