Brownies and Birthdays

  The thing about being a Mom is, if you stay home from church because your head feels like it might explode, you're barking like a baby seal and you have the energy level of a hibernating bear, you will still be expected to 1. iron clothes so everyone else can go to church looking presentable, 2. clean up the breakfast mess, 3. prepare a delicious, hot, dinner to serve when the troops return. Not just any dinner, a special request birthday dinner, because 12th Birthday's just cannot be ignored or postponed.

  We're not even going to talk about that number. I'll spare you my extensive rant of "How in the world did that happen?" Of "Seriously, this is the last year our house will be teenager-less until 2030!
{Oh.my.stars. that is a frightening thought!!} Of "How in the world can I mother a 12 year old when I feel like I'm only 22 myself?" It's mind boggling, I tell you, mind boggling!!

  No big party this year. He chose to invite his cousin for a game of laser tag and a sleepover. He requested brownies and mint ice cream, the perfect bedtime snack after an energetic game of laser tag.

  We treated his classmates to donuts. Nothing makes a sixth grade boy more popular than a couple dozen fresh made donuts. :) (I made sure to get a few extra for the 'quality control' test performed by yours truly a.k.a. delivery lady.)

  This sweet Little Miss accompanied me to make our donut delivery. I kind of got the feeling she thought she was the one turning 12. I think she would have happily stayed and figured out a way to fit in with those big 'stylin' girls! *Oh Sigh!* They're ganging up on me, all of them!!

  Since the sleepover and brownie celebration was a couple of days earlier I bought a small ice cream cake for his actual birthday dinner. A Mama's gotta have something to stick candles in and take pictures of.

  And a couple of quick shots of my handsome young man. I thought he looked so sharp in his 'Sunday-go-to-Meetin' duds but I couldn't get him to relax and give me a real smile until I put him back in jeans. I suppose he must be a normal boy.

Just checkin to see if 12 is when the 'superpowers' start showing up.

He's smart.

 He's responsible.
He's creative.
He thinks showers should be optional.
He's athletic.

He's funny.
He considers his room clean if you can walk from one side to the other
without serious bodily injury.
He's a leader.
He's courteous.

He's a "quality time" kind of guy.
He's pretty sure he's almost as tall as his mom. (He's not. YET!)
He's compassionate.
He likes Legos, pizza, trucks, sports and sugar.
He thinks body functions are hilarious.
He's outgoing.
He's respectful.
He's determined.
He's not perfect, but he's a great kid, and I get to be his Mom!

(And the thing about being a Mom is, if you stay home from church, you can have a  generous portion of leftover dark double chocolate brownie for breakfast and nobody has to know. :)

It's birthday mania week at our house. We getting ready for the next big event on Friday.
Rumor has it there's gonna be a Carnival.