Happy Bday BooBoo!

Today is my son's birthday!
My Booboo is 18!
Oh. My. Goodness.

I know, I know...this is when I (and many other moms) will blather on about how fast time flies and how we can't believe it.  But, you know what? Wow, time flies and I can't believe it!!!

My little goofy boy with the solemn face and big brown eyes is officially all grown up.  I could get all misty just typing this.  And yet...and yet....I so very much like the young man he has grown into.  Even without the motherly bias...he is a great young man.  I totally enjoy his company and he is good.  He is kind.  He has a good heart to go with his big brain and big sense of adventure and  humor.  He has very big adventure's ahead, I know it.

My Booboo, you are heading off to many adventures: college, jobs, traveling the world, falling in love.
But you are and will always be, to me, first, my boy.
The one with the big brown eyes.
And duckling hair that wouldn't stay down.
And solemn face, hiding the big grin and twinkling eyes.
You are funny, witty and clever and can make me laugh so hard that I cry.
You can also make me fume and have steam coming out of my ears.
And while you currently 'know everything,' that is all too soon to change.
I will miss that, a little bit.

Your quirks make me smile; you are an old soul.
You were an 'old man' the day  you were born.
You love cardigans, 'old man'.
You love a hot tea and soft slippers, old man.
You love a long nap on the sofa, old man.
You carry problems,  yours and others, heavily, 'old man."
 You have helped to carry mine.
And you are one of my heroes.

Your world view is bigger than most.
Your judgement is usually good (except the occasional right hand turn, ahem) and your integrity is impeccable.
You even managed to find your girlfriend in one of your best friends, and are handling the relationship with respect and trust.
And even with this, you show us your sound judgement and good taste, both, as she is both beautiful and kind.

You are also still full of small boy mischief and crave adventure.
You want to jump out of airplane and dive into the sea.
You want to start record companies and jam late into the night.
You want to polar bear dive into the cold winter waters.
And snowboard down the fastest slopes.
{And live with the injuries that those sports and adventures bring.}

You love magic and practical jokes,
You love to laugh and make others laugh.
And you're good at it.
You're cool enough to happily be silly.

You love a bargain and are my frugal child, and yet still the mogul in the family.
You love babies, but not so much children.
You love music and are getting to be so talented.
I love your acoustic guitar playing, but not so much the loud techno.
You love turtles.
Maybe because you hide your big soft heart behind a turtle shell of stoic and tough.
But I know better.

Because Booboo, you are my boy, now a  young man.
And we have always been so close.
And I hope, we always will be.

We are so proud of you, every day.

We love you so much.

Happy Happy Birthday Booboo!