FOURTEEN

Four and a half years ago, I had no responsibilities beyond caring for a dog, bird and several horses. Then I started dating your father and before I knew it, I had two full-time children to help raise, and then it quickly became three when your sister moved in with us. Next thing I knew, I was living the “soccer Mom” lifestyle running back and forth to baseball and football practices and games. Within less than two years, your baby sister came along and, wow, four kids. I was keeping pace with the Jolie-Pitts on the children front and was amazed at how much children brought to my life.

When we met, your were a dorky little bobble-headed looking nine and a half year old who was one of the most outgoing kids I had ever met. You excelled in academics and sports and I was amazed by you. I still am today. I remember how reserved you were in the beginning, how unsure you were by this woman who would likely be like the others who had come in and out of your life. I could tell that you held your heart close and wouldn’t let me in out of fear that I would leave you like all of the others.

You didn’t really let me in for a few months. I remember the day that it happened. It was Father’s Day and we were at your great-grandmother’s house. You and PJ were in the pool and you thought it would be cute to splash water at me as I passed by because I didn’t have a swimsuit, nor a change of clothes. Then your grandmother decided to get all froggy and push me into the pool anyway. You were no longer safe and I promptly decided that you needed to be dunked as many times possible, as quickly as possible, for your cockiness and, let’s face it … it was fun!

You have amazed me over the years and make me so proud. You have grown into quite a handsome young man and now have your first girlfriend. You have completed a summer semester of college and have excelled at everything you have decided to try your hand at. You are an accomplished drummer and have quickly become a great bass player. You have excelled in baseball and football, while I floundered being a team mom in baseball. I redeemed myself during football season through photography only to exasperate you because I was constantly on the sidelines taking pictures and now have well over 3,500 photos from a single football season. That exasperation turned to pride when I presented you with a keepsake photo book, printed with photos from all of your games this past season.

I am sure that there will still be times when I want to strangle you and when you want to go running the other way out of embarrassment. I am also sure that with every day that passes, because of you (and your siblings), there isn’t a day that will go by when I will have regretted a single decision I have made in the last four and a half years.

Happy birthday Cody. You amaze me every day with your intelligence and your candor and my life is blessed by your presence.