Carrie Link

GUESS WHO'S A TEENAGER?

Thirteen years ago today this bundle of love came into my life. To say I've never been the same since, would be a gross understatement.

Would write more but I've got the following things to do:

* Bake a pink cake with red frosting (5th year in a row - won't eat the cake, but always requests it).

* Search YouTube for people with accents (we're going for Boston, Texas and Jamaican).

* Watch him play with his new recycling truck (goes well with the garbage truck he asked for and got last year).

* Take a soccer ball to the park and use it to play basketball.

* Return to the park later with a basketball and use it to play soccer.

* Meet the extended family at the bowling alley (4th year in a row we've gone bowling on his birthday).

* Talk about and wait for the ice cream truck that we made a special request with last night when they came by (they'll be here at 6:45 PM. Don't forget. Promise you won't forget).

* Wish Elmo a happy birthday, as it turns out his "son" has the same birthday, and is also turning 13. Go figure.

* Search the house for something to wrap up for Elmo, as Elmo has his heart set on also opening a present after bowling.

* Allow Elmo to come in the car to the bowling alley, but not the bowling alley, as the rule has been set: After 13, Elmo stays in the car. Allow my heart to break a little when we close the door on Elmo and walk away.

* Prepare to teach him to shower, as another rule has been set and talked about ad nauseam: 13 year olds take showers and their mothers give them their privacy.

* Tuck him in, read books, say prayers, kiss him and tell him he's the best boy in the world. Because. It's. True.