Dearest,

You are 18 today. Time went so fast. We’ve had a time of it over the last several years. Adolescence hit hard and mean and so completely differently from your early years that it felt like whiplash. But with prayer, a throwback music playlist, and Chick-fil-a, we made it. As we move into this new phase of adulting, it will be hard for me to take my hands off of the wheel. It is your ship not mine. As you said when you were two years old, “I fick its [fix it] my own self.”

You were always my sweet snuggle bunny. From the start, you just hung out tucked under my chin on my right arm as I did everything—chased your brother, made dinner, did laundry, talked on the phone, all of it. When not in my arms, you lived in your baby swing in the kitchen of our old house keeping me company. You never protested the stroller when I put you there with cheerios while I chased your brother. You were such an easy going, sweet tempered toddler. I always said if you had come first I would have had six children.

You have so many talents and gifts and unique proclivities. One of your early ones (that you still have today) is the ability to sleep anywhere, anytime, in any situation. You slept on a moving seadoo, a moving float/tube behind a boat, in a 4×4 side-by-side, in a golf cart, on the bleachers, on the floor, and my personal favorite, on a ski slope waiting for pickup from ski school. I’m just a weird enough mom to have picture proof of it all, because it was so precious to me. It became a family tradition to see where you would sleep next!

I have never known a child with as much emotional intelligence as you. From the start you always cared more deeply than any other child about anything. Be it a sick friend, a hurt pet, a disagreement between friends, a playground injustice, an exasperated teacher moment, a broken rule, being passed over, overshadowed, or dismissed, you were always ready to defend, extend love, forgiveness, patience, or just use plain good sense. To this day, I am not sure you realize how incredibly unique and brave this gift of emotional intelligence is. You see people differently. If the world loved like you, it would be a far happier more generous loving place. You make us all better humans.

When you went to kindergarten I was inconsolable. I teared up for weeks. When you went to middle school I was so very proud. Bless it, you spent a large majority of your middle school years as a COVID kiddo online or in a mask, but you seemed to thrive anyway. When you started driving, I was torn between the elation of freedom from carpool and feeling distraught over the loss of my forever buddy. You were my ride or die warrior for 16 years.

Now you are a high school senior and I don’t even know how I feel. You seem nonchalant about it. I am a hot mess.

Parenting a second born is just as unique as parenting a first born. There is the sense that I’ve done this before and I know what’s coming. Yet, in many ways it’s like parenting for the first time all over again. I was in a different stage of life when you came. We were no longer in residency. We made a home in TN. We had a three year old and a mortgage. You were the cherry on top of a life full of blessings.

Oh my darling, you have been the absolute joy of my universe and I am so proud and happy and scared and already a little bit lonely. I cannot wait to see where you will go and what you will do with this last year of high school and beyond. The next chapter awaits. I’m ready for that new journey too—but not yet.

Enjoy being 18 and all of its privileges. Respect the responsibilities that come with being 18 and own them. I am forever in your corner. You’ve got this.

Go with God my baby boy. There is no one like you in the whole world.

Love you so big,

Mom