My "Baby" Turns 16!
Beau is 16 today and he is off with his Dad and brothers on a guys-only road trip. It is quiet here. I'm quite sure that these kind of quiet times will come much more often once he is independently mobile. He can hardly wait to get his driver's license! I'm not really sure he is ready. We have been so busy in the last year... and 4 of our 5 ancient vehicles are stick shifts, which he couldn't drive. I just don't feel as if he has had enough time behind the wheel. He still is so easily distracted! I didn't feel this way about the other 3 boys. When they went for their licenses I was pretty confident that they were pretty good drivers and had been well-trained.
Angus thinks I'm nuts and that Beau will do just fine. He has learned to drive a stick shift and so he is driving much more frequently now...but still mostly in the confines of our small town and rural areas. It will be nice to have him be able to get to church and school activities on his own though. I have been overwhelmed with transporting the boy everywhere since Zeke left for school. It is the first time since 1997, when CJ first got his driver's license, that I have had to do most of the errands and hauling kids to their many and varied destinations. There has always been a brother around to do the job! Anyway, I suppose the driving lessons will continue and there won't be any trips to the city alone until we are more confident in his skills with merging and traffic, etc.
Most of my friends who are Empty-Nesters tell me how hard that first year is when it is just the family's original couple alone in the house again. I am having trouble seeing that as being difficult for me. My goal as a parent has always been to raise my kids to be independent and kind adults that will stick to their values and contribute to the betterment of the world (or at least their world). I'm really hoping that I at least get the "independent" part right. ☺
I love my kids as much as everyone else loves theirs, I'm certain. I must just look at it differently. I have always been able to maintain my own identity and interests separate from my kids and husband, although at times it has been difficult. I have often had to put mine on the back burner but I never let go of them.
There is no doubt, though, it will hard for me when this last one goes on out into the world. Having 3 older brothers he has learned more from them than he has from Angus and I and he may just be the better for it!
He has learned to cope easily with teasing and takes it well, or with a grain of salt depending on the intent of the tease. He has learned that he doesn't always come first and that everybody's needs need to be considered when making decisions. He has learned how to get along with anybody even if they are different (or difficult). He can be very annoying as only a little brother can but knows how to make everyone laugh in the end.
He has had the best of both worlds, perhaps neglected a bit when he was little...no time for lots of playing with him and reading to him... we were on the go with soccer games and school and church functions. He learned to go with the flow, take life as it happens and make friends wherever he ends up.
Now that the other boys are out on their own for the most part...now he is getting the attention that he always had to share before. We can finally afford eating out occasionally and going to fun evernts because we aren't taking 6-10 people out and having to pay $100+ every time we do anything!
And he talks! The brothers always found his yammering along annoying ("don't you ever shut up?") but I assure you, it is rare when a teenage boy will actually converse to his parents! He comes home from school and wants to tell me every funny little thing that happened! None of that "What did you do at school today?" "nuthin"-response from him!
He sings all the time at the top of his lungs. ..and often off key. One can't help but loveit while you're hating it. You can't miss the joy! ...and Yes, he can be moody but he will outgrow that and I think he may just end up being the most likely to live happily-ever-after of all the kids. Keep your fingers crossed and keep praying for him!
Beau is 16 today and he is off with his Dad and brothers on a guys-only road trip. It is quiet here. I'm quite sure that these kind of quiet times will come much more often once he is independently mobile. He can hardly wait to get his driver's license! I'm not really sure he is ready. We have been so busy in the last year... and 4 of our 5 ancient vehicles are stick shifts, which he couldn't drive. I just don't feel as if he has had enough time behind the wheel. He still is so easily distracted! I didn't feel this way about the other 3 boys. When they went for their licenses I was pretty confident that they were pretty good drivers and had been well-trained.
Angus thinks I'm nuts and that Beau will do just fine. He has learned to drive a stick shift and so he is driving much more frequently now...but still mostly in the confines of our small town and rural areas. It will be nice to have him be able to get to church and school activities on his own though. I have been overwhelmed with transporting the boy everywhere since Zeke left for school. It is the first time since 1997, when CJ first got his driver's license, that I have had to do most of the errands and hauling kids to their many and varied destinations. There has always been a brother around to do the job! Anyway, I suppose the driving lessons will continue and there won't be any trips to the city alone until we are more confident in his skills with merging and traffic, etc.
Most of my friends who are Empty-Nesters tell me how hard that first year is when it is just the family's original couple alone in the house again. I am having trouble seeing that as being difficult for me. My goal as a parent has always been to raise my kids to be independent and kind adults that will stick to their values and contribute to the betterment of the world (or at least their world). I'm really hoping that I at least get the "independent" part right. ☺
I love my kids as much as everyone else loves theirs, I'm certain. I must just look at it differently. I have always been able to maintain my own identity and interests separate from my kids and husband, although at times it has been difficult. I have often had to put mine on the back burner but I never let go of them.
There is no doubt, though, it will hard for me when this last one goes on out into the world. Having 3 older brothers he has learned more from them than he has from Angus and I and he may just be the better for it!
He has learned to cope easily with teasing and takes it well, or with a grain of salt depending on the intent of the tease. He has learned that he doesn't always come first and that everybody's needs need to be considered when making decisions. He has learned how to get along with anybody even if they are different (or difficult). He can be very annoying as only a little brother can but knows how to make everyone laugh in the end.
He has had the best of both worlds, perhaps neglected a bit when he was little...no time for lots of playing with him and reading to him... we were on the go with soccer games and school and church functions. He learned to go with the flow, take life as it happens and make friends wherever he ends up.
Now that the other boys are out on their own for the most part...now he is getting the attention that he always had to share before. We can finally afford eating out occasionally and going to fun evernts because we aren't taking 6-10 people out and having to pay $100+ every time we do anything!
And he talks! The brothers always found his yammering along annoying ("don't you ever shut up?") but I assure you, it is rare when a teenage boy will actually converse to his parents! He comes home from school and wants to tell me every funny little thing that happened! None of that "What did you do at school today?" "nuthin"-response from him!
He sings all the time at the top of his lungs. ..and often off key. One can't help but loveit while you're hating it. You can't miss the joy! ...and Yes, he can be moody but he will outgrow that and I think he may just end up being the most likely to live happily-ever-after of all the kids. Keep your fingers crossed and keep praying for him!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BEAU!
No comments:
Post a Comment