Thing 1

19

zoot

19 years ago today I was 19 years old and excitedly welcoming this kid into the world. (This kid who will HATE me for putting together this slideshow.)

With the sappy graduating entry, and the sappy going off to college entry, hell – even a year ago there was a sappy birthday entry on this blog — I decided this time to keep it light and fun. Instead of me waxing nostalgic about my adult child and how he is proving every day that he’s a better grown-up than I am, I’ll share NINETEEN fun tidbits about the past 19 years. Because as sappy as I like to be – he makes me smile more than anything. So, maybe today I’ll try to return the favor.

  1. He has a scar on the back of his leg from where he got a burned when I put him in his carseat on top of a water-filled teething toy that had been left in the hot car. (Maybe I should have started out with a story that didn’t involve my crappy parenting?)
  2. I used to take him to concerts all the time. Before I graduated from college he had seen the Indigo Girls, Bob Dylan, he had even been to a Grateful Dead show. (Although we didn’t get inside, we camped outside and hung out with all of the other deadheads.) He also so dozens of other smallish college style bands.
  3. He is planning on seeing Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and One Direction this summer. HE IS NOT TAKING ME WITH HIM TO ANY OF THESE SHOWS.
  4. My butterfly tattoo on my left arm has E’s name in it.
  5. He played soccer, cello, and drums as a child. None of it stuck.
  6. When my paternal grandfather first met E, he picked him up by clasping his hands over his ears and lifting him up by his head. I about had a heart attack. My Dad quietly whispered, “Don’t panic. He did it to all of you guys too, and you all survived.”
  7. When we went to Disney with Team In Training in 2010, E and I sat on the sidelines while Donnie and Nikki (who was 4 years old) rode Tower of Terror.
  8. But he still loves scary movies, while I would rather someone punch me in the face than watch anything scary.
  9. However, one time I chaperoned a trip to a “scary” movie with E and his friends and I was so nervous that I ended up screaming bloody murder when a fish jumped out of the water. IT WAS A SCARY FISH.
  10. I watched E hit a hole-in-one at a putt-putt place in Georgia on his…8th birthday maybe? That sounds about right.
  11. We had a rabbit when E was little that was possessed by Satan. Crooked head, snarl, red eyes and everything. HE WAS TERRIFYING.
  12. The first musical we saw on stage was Wicked. We took Donnie to see it a few months later. We all love it.
  13. We also saw Spring Awakening later that year, but due to the nature of that show we didn’t all sit together. If a girl gets her top ripped open in a fit of passion on stage, no one wants to be sitting next to his Mom when it happens.
  14. He is awesome on Twitter (and you should totally follow him) –

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  15. He brought me Krispy Kreme donuts to the finish line of my first Rocket City Marathon.
  16. He was so excited about finally being a big brother that he answered the question: “Oldest, Middle, Youngest or Only” as “Oldest” even though I was still pregnant. His teacher made him change to “only” much to his disapproval.
  17. He and I danced to Kelly Clarkson and the Hokey Pokey at my wedding.
  18. Donnie and I painted his bedroom fun colors (surfer blue and orange) when he was away at summer camp when he was 9. (Or 10?) He was HELLA shocked when he got home.
  19. He, Donnie and I used to watch Sailor Moon videos constantly when he was 4’ish. I’m not sure how the fascination started, but it sucked ALL of us in.

    20. There you go! Happy Birthday to my oldest child, one of my best friends, someone who always makes me laugh, and who shows me every day what it’s like to be brave, creative, kind, smart, and funny.

    P.S. If you’re reading this, you better wait and see the Veronica Mars movie with me or I’m totally disowning you.
    P.P.S. Same goes for The Fault In Our Stars.

Published by zoot

6 thoughts on “19”

  4. I totally did not know that grandpa picked up babies by their head. Glad I never witnessed that.

  5. Happy birthday, E! And you’re right… he -is- awesome to follow on Twitter 🙂

  6. I’m late as usual, but Happy Belated to your awesome firstborn anyway. It’s been amazing to watch him grow up on your blog.

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