He Is His Mother's Son

My oldest boy turns 18 tomorrow.

The chubby baby with the big toothless grin.  The 2 year old, who insisted on wearing matching sweatshirts and sweatpants on the hottest summer days, because they were, after all, 'sweat' pants.  The 3 year old, who'd pick up his feet and fly downhill on the sidewalk, riding his little front end loader..narrowly avoiding pedestrians and laughing at his mother chasing him all the way. The 4 year old caught kissing Emily in the play tunnel.  The 5 year old firstbaseman, that pulled his mother's static clung nylons from inside his ball uniform while on first base.  The 6 year old that crawled under the desks during circle time, and spent many a day sitting in the principal's office.  The 8 year old frog catcher and tree climber.

Little shit.

He grew into a young man.

Knowing he'd be celebrating with his buddies on the big day, I invited him to dinner last night instead...  This is our texted conversation:

Him: "Alrighty. Lol.  Let me know when you're coming, cause I'll go to the gym until then."

Me: "Where's gym?"

Him: "Ymca right down the road from my school and oshawa general hospital"

Me: "Traffic is always the prob..I am guessing 5:30 but how about I call you when I get close?"

Him: "Going southbound on mary st which is running parallel on the right of simcoe if you were going northbound.  Call this cell?"

Me: "I can just pick you up at the usual parking lot at the park (by the hospital).  Yes."

Him: "Bah, that is such a walk"

Me: "Don't be a butthead"

Him: "Well it is my birthday"

Me: "Yeah, and I'm the one who pushed your big head out!"

Him: "Thanks for the picture."

Me: "You remember that..trust me, felt worse"

Him: "Alright, well that's just great..."

Me: "Lol, just a little birth control s'all...for you that is"

Him: "Should have stuck to condoms"

Me: "I think you were worth every minute"

Him: "So you'll pick me up at the ymca then"  (insert big cheesy grin emoticon)

Me: "We'll see"

Him: "Alrighty then! Badass"

Me: "Watchit...still yer mom"


I did manage to find my way to the YMCA and we headed out for dinner.  We passed a cruiser doing radar from a sidestreet.

"Fucking pig" says he.

I cock my head as I glance over at him "this coming from a future cop?"

"Not a cop yet" says he. 

Nope.  Sigh...he's 18.   Setting out to prove himself.

Dinner conversation was enlightening.  He's been accepted to 5 colleges, but has decided to stay back one more year of highschool.  He stopped my attempts at protests several times as he made his case.  Clearly his mind was not to be changed. 

Headstrong.

He is his mother's son.

He also told me about what he did for Valentine's Day.  In addition to calling me.  :)

He bought a half dozen red roses, tied a card to each..and hand delivered them to his closest female friends.  Just because.

I am proud of that kid.  Underneath the Kewl Dude 'tude, lies a big ole heart. 

This young man is going to be just fine.