Fourteen.
I’m really not sure how that happened.
I know every mom says it, and I know it’s probably one of the biggest parenting clichés there is, but they really do grow up way too fast. Somehow the little boy in these pictures is turning 14 today.
And now we’re talking about things like high school and the fact that he’ll be driving in TWO YEARS.
Two years.
I’m not ready for that conversation yet.
From This Little Guy…
Looking back through pictures for this post was a bit of a trip down memory lane. It’s funny how you can remember a moment so clearly when you see a picture, even when it happened years ago.
This one especially makes me smile. That little face!
There have been so many different versions of Braden over the years.
There was little soccer Braden…
…and then a slightly bigger soccer Braden, spending plenty of time practicing in goal.
Zoo Braden…
Sports have been part of his life in one form or another for a long time. Soccer eventually gave way to other interests, and these days football and golf have definitely moved to the front of the line.
Taekwondo Braden…
And so many other phases in between.
But one thing that hasn’t changed much is that Braden has pretty much always been Braden. He’s funny, he’s quick-witted, and he can keep you on your toes.
Braden at 14
If I had to describe Braden right now, I think the best description would be that he’s a little bit all over the place.
And I mean that in the most loving way possible.
He’s into football. He loves his friends, music, and playing Xbox. He’s gotten into watching reruns of The Walking Dead, which I happen to approve of since it’s one of my favorites too.
He’s also discovered golf, and there has been a LOT of golfing lately.
He’s in eighth grade now and recently earned first chair in Symphonic Band, which I’m incredibly proud of.
He’s independent, sometimes very independent, and definitely figuring out who he is.
He’s quick-witted and genuinely funny. Sometimes he can be a little curt, but he also has this really sweet side that I don’t ever want to forget.
Almost every day when he gets home from school, he asks me how my day was.
It’s such a little thing.
But it’s also not.
Because it tells me something about the person he’s becoming. He genuinely cares about other people.
And since Devin left, I’ve watched another side of him come out too. He’s really taken Austin under his wing.
As a mom, those are the things that stick with me. Of course I’m proud of accomplishments and grades and first chair and all of those things. But watching your kid become someone who cares about the people around him? That’s the good stuff.
One Really Good Summer
This summer gave us plenty of good memories too.
We went to the lake, bowled, spent time at SkyZone and Surge, and did lots and lots of golfing.
Nothing particularly huge or life-changing. Just life.
And I think I’m realizing more and more that those ordinary days are the ones I’m going to miss someday.
The trips in the car. The jokes. The random conversations. Watching the boys do something ridiculous. Hearing about school when everyone gets home. The everyday stuff that doesn’t necessarily feel important while it’s happening.
Then you look back at a picture of your baby sitting on the floor surrounded by toys…
…and realize those everyday moments were everything.
And Now You’re 14
We don’t have some giant birthday celebration planned this year. In fact, his birthday snuck up on us ridiculously fast, which seems to happen every September.
But there will be dinner at Yaya’s.
There will be cake.
There will be presents.
And there will be a 14-year-old who probably doesn’t quite understand why his mom keeps looking at old pictures of him and wondering where all that time went.
So, Braden, if you read this someday, I hope you know how proud I am of you.
You’re still figuring out who you are. At 14, you’re supposed to be.
You don’t need to have everything figured out yet.
Keep being funny. Keep caring about people. Keep trying new things. Keep being independent. Keep looking out for your brother. And please keep asking your mom how her day was, even when you’re 16 and driving yourself everywhere.
I can’t wait to see who you become.
But I’m also perfectly happy if the next two years before that driver’s license decide to go by VERY slowly.
Happy 14th birthday, Braden.
I love you more than you know. ❤️