Welcome to the teenage years, Lucas. I can’t believe how quickly time has gone. It seems to be just yesterday that you were a snuggly, little toddler saying “rock-a-minute,” when you needed some loving or putting up your pinky finger to signify that we needed to stay and snuggle in bed with you for just one more minute or until you were safely in dreamland.

Yesterday I looked at you as a young man, no longer a little kid…So today I reminisce about the little Lucas. I would love to sit and watch old videos of you today but time presses on and I don’t have the luxury to sit back and watch little you so I relive my favorite videos of you in my head. I see you as you were way back when you were three ~ your wispy, blond hair blowing softly in the breeze and your little voice carrying through the yard. One of my favorite videos of you is when you are climbing in and out of your little car asking and asking and asking for your Uncle Matt to push you. “Uncle Matt, can you push me? Cannyou, cannyou, cannyou?” being repeated over and over and over again as a run-on word until your Dad finally said “Uncle Matt, can you PLEASE go push him?” In my mind’s eye I also see the one where Zach comes running into the house, breathless, saying “Mom and Dad you HAVE to come here now, Lucas got the keys to the Skateboard (known to the rest of you as a Ford Escape) and he turned it on.” You did love your cars and you would do anything to get behind the wheel of a car. You were a persistent little booger then, whether it was asking repeatedly for rides, rocking in your rocking chair or somehow managing to find hidden car keys. You are still that same persistent booger now…although, you have grown up so much what seems like the past day.

Yesterday you said it was the best birthday ever and not because of the presents you received or the things you got to do but because you are now finally taller than I am! So, on your 13th birthday, we stood back to back and it was confirmed ~ you are indeed taller than I am. Your persistence paid off there too…you tried and tried and tried to be taller than I am. You would stretch and stand on your tiptoes to try and reach your goal. Goal achieved ~ now you are finally taller!

My only wish is that you don’t grow up and grow away too fast. I savor every minute with you. I love reliving the memories of you as a toddler, your stories and your life.

A few years ago I made you a book, filled with my favorite pictures of you ~ three year old you in the tub looking like a triceratops with your hair full of shampoo and shaped into horns ~ nine month old you smiling as you sat in a swing in the warm sunshine of a summer day ~ One year old you dressed up as Batman to Zach’s Robin. I could go on and on about my favorite pictures of you, my little, blond boy.

In that book I also wrote these words and I hope someday when you are grown and gone you look back on them and know how much you are loved ~ always…

Because of you
I smile so often.
Because of you
my heart has softened.

Because of you
I tickle until away you wiggle.
Because of you
I hear big old giggles.

Because of you
I get up at the crack of dawn.
Because of you
I feel the warmth of a sleepy eyed yawn.

Because of you
I see beauty in the sky above.
Because of you
my heart is full of love.

Because of you
I am happy as can be.
Because of you
I skip with glee.

Because of you
there is happiness in our place.
Because of you
I have a smile that spreads across my face.

Because of you
My heart is complete
Because of you
Life is complete.

Because of you
Love is pure.
Because of you
the life we share is pure.

All of this and more is true
Simply because of you.

I know you welcomed the step into the teenage years, Lucas. And I know you are beyond excited to have grown taller than I am but I hope you don’t grow up too fast and that don’t ever lose your sweetness, love of life and laughter.