Happy Birthday, LilZoot,
Holy Crapoley. You’re ten years old today. I was 18 when I found out I was pregnant with you and I was scared to death. I was scared of telling my Dad, I was scared of being homeless, I was scared of going to college with a kid, and I was scared of getting married. But I was NEVER scared of being a Mom. I knew, the second I saw that positive pregnancy test, that I would most definitely be a good Mom.
Many things have happened in our lives since then. Your father and I split up. I spent seven years in college. You grew up in computer labs and university libraries. You proctored your first college exam at age five when one of my professors asked you to watch her students while she ran an errand. You sat in on a MS Powerpoint Class I taught and picked up on more at age six than most of the adults in the class. You spent the night in front of a Lion Cage for a fundraiser. We moved seven times. Once? From one apartment to the one next door so the psycho guy who lived underneath us would quit scaring us to death by banging on our floor. We both spent the night in a castle at my college. I guess your childhood was not what most would consider normal.
But – after one divorce, two college degrees, and one new marriage – we are finally living a relatively normal life. However, you never complained about the chaos of the first several years of your life – and you still dont complain about the chaos that still remains. You get in a car, every other Friday, and travel 300 miles to see your Dad. You get back in the car the following Sunday, and travel the 300 miles back home. And you never flinch.
You are an amazing child. Those words seem so simple, yet they are so true. You have taught me so much in the last ten years. You have inspired me to become better as the days go on. There were a few times in the first five years of your life, that I felt like the only thing keeping me going in this world was you. The only light in my life, the only thing “good”, the only thing that made me happy, was you. I will always be in debt to you for that – and I will always try my best to be a good mom to repay you for that light you have added to my life.
I hope that with each birthday – your years get better. But if you do experience those dark times, like we all do, I hope I can provide the light in your life, the hope, the love that you showed me. I will always be here for you, no matter what, waiting to give you a monster hug and an upside-down kiss. My specialties – of course.
I love you.
Happy Birthday, LilZoot.

Okay..not a little sniffling – full blown boo-hooing here. What a wonderful tribute to your guy… I think you are BOTH lucky to have each other. You are a great Mom Zoot.. Happy Birthday LilZoot!
Happy Birthday LilZoot!! I hope you have a great day. It sounds to me that you have had a blast with such an interesting first 10 years as well as a wonderful, strong, smart Mom. Have a fun day!
happy birthday kiddo!
hey, did you get your packages, I hope!
Happy Birthday LilZ! Hope you have a great weekend!
Happy Birthday LilZ!!!
Happy birthday LilZ!!! I hope you have a great day!
What a beautiful post! Happy birthday, LilZoot! Have a piece of cake (or a Krispy Kreme) for me 🙂
I wish my mom would do something like this on MY birthday. That was so sweet! Happy Birthay LilZ!
Happy Birthday LilZoot!!
You’re an awesome mom to an awesome kid. Happy 10th, LilZ! Have a great day and don’t forget to hug your mom! 🙂
Happy Birthday, LilZ! I hope it’s a great one – turning 10 is such a mile stone! I’m sure you know but your mom loves you greatly. ^_^
Awesome post, Zoot. He’s lucky to have you as a mom. ^_^
A wonderful post Zoot, Im sitting here at my desk crying my eyes out thank you very much. You are a great person, your son is lucky to have you! You doing a great job with him!
Happy Birthday Lil Z
Where is the tissue box?! Happy Birthday LilZoot!
What a wonderful birthday tribute! Happy Birthday LittleZ!
So Zoot that makes you.. about twenty five, right?
And I truly hope LilZ knows how good he has it. Happy Birthday, Dude. Enjoy the zebra movie 🙂
That’s so sweet. I’m all misty.
choking back the lump in my throat!
wonderful post Mom. Happy Birthday Lil’Z
Happy Birthday, LilZ! Enjoy your party!
Pass the tissues my way!
That’s a wonderful post you wrote Zoot, thank you for sharing that with us. 🙂
Happy Birthday LilZoot – have a great day!
Happy Birthday LILZ! What an amazing letter! I would say he is verrryyyy lucky to have lived a not so normal childhood! He is lucky to have YOU! And yes indeed, you are very blessed to have him. I hope me and my boys follow in your footsteps by having a strong bond when they are 10!
Have a GREAT BDAY WEEKEND!
Kelly
Happy, Happy Birthday – Sweetest LilZ. There’s no other little boy in the world I would have rather had my sweet Ariel sleep w/ for the first time. 🙂
Happy Birthday to Little Zoot! May all his wishes come true 🙂
We all know that you’ll have to rebel at some point, LilZ. But if you ever get the “nobody likes me” blues that happen to everyone, read this post. Your mom adores you, and with good reason. You’re both wonderful!
Happy Birthday, Lil Zoot. I hope you have fun at the movies with your Mom and your firends even though you are having to go see the silly movie first.
Dammit, you made me cry,
always with the making me CRY!
Happy birthday littleZ!
Happy Birthday, Dude! Hope your birthday is a blast!
Happy Birthday, LZ!!
And (not that Zoot is reading right now, they are probably at Hooters getting a lap dance for LilZ), Movie Mom has reviewed Are We There Yet and given it a “C”.
Which means I would run nuns down with my honda to get to the theater before anybody else and check it out.
(just kidding! There aren’t any nuns between here and the theater!)
Happy Birthday, LilZoot, and you’re so lucky to have such an amazing mom 🙂
Happy Birthday Lil Zoot!!
Aww. That was so beautiful.
Happy Birthday LilZ.
Tis just your friggin job now to make me cry isn’t it? 😉 Happy birthday LilZ!
Happy B-Day LilZ! I hope you get to see your Ice Cube Road Trip movie!
Happy Birthday, LilZoot!!!
You got me crying too.
Happy Birthday Lil Zoot!
Someone stop my tears, please.
Wow! Mascara alert was needed there! THAT was so sweet!
Happy birthday to the lilzoot! 🙂
What a wonderfully touching post – wishing lilZ a very happy birthday and a great year ahead.
Aww! That was so sweet! Happy Birthday Lil Zoot!
Happy tenth to the first in the trio! Your mom rocks! We are all so lucky to have you guys!
*passes the tissues*
Happy Birthday LilZoot!
my parents were in a similar situation as you…had me at 18 blah blah. however, they stayed together, had more kids, but have a shitty marriage which led to a shitty childhood for me. so i commend you on making what was probably a tough decision, to divorce. sounds like it was the best thing for little zoot. he’s a lucky kid to have a mom like you.
*sniffing and reaching for the tissues*
Happy Birthday LilZoot!
**sobs** Happy Birthday LilZ. You sound like an amazing little man.
Aww…
Happy Birthday LilZ!
Happy bday little Zoot!!!
Happy 10th LilZ! You are a wonderful kid and my family is glad to know you!
Aw, that was so sweet. What a lucky woman you are and what a lucky child he is–Happy Birthday LilZ!
Is it too late to wish LZ a happy birthday? Happy birthday, LZ! Ten is a great birthday, what with the whole entry into double-digits. Ten rocks. As does your beautiful mom.
(sniffle, sniffle, big honkin’ nose blow)
That. Is. A. Beautiful. Letter.
Happy Birthday LilZ.
You’ve obviously done a great job, Zoot.
zoot:
I think is the greatest entry you have ever written you have just given me such inspiration!
I found out last month that I am pregnant! the guy I have been with for 5 years, has left me alone to go throuhg everything myself! ITS SO HARD! but knowing you can and that there are other women whi have done it really gives me hope, during this rough time. happy birthday to LilZ! may he have a great year with a great MOm.
Happy B’day LilZ! Mine’s just eight days past your’s. Even if I’d not met you, I’d know that you totally rock since you’re an Aquarian. One decade in the can, 100 more to go. 😉