Who Are You and What Have You Done With My Baby Boy?!

Taylor is sixteen.  He has been for well over a month now, but I think possibly I've been in denial and that's why I haven't done this post.  But anyway, Taylor is sixteen.  How is that possible is what I want to know.  I still remember vividly the details of being so uncomfortably pregnant with him.  I remember the intense but rapid labor and hearing his giant baby voice screaming when he was born.  I remember how right from the start he wanted nothing to do with swaddling and he would stretch himself out and kick those blankets right off.  He was so strong too and I have a picture of his Aunt Melissa holding him up in the air with his little body completely straight like a little airplane when he was only two weeks old.  He started rolling over at two months old and was sitting up before he was four months old.  It seems he was in a hurry to grow up right from the start!  So I probably shouldn't be surprised that this day is already here.  But it is difficult to reconcile how quickly that cute little "Precious Moments" baby (everyone at church called him that because of his giant brown eyes) has become a handsome young man who will be leaving us in just a few short years.  Hug your babies every minute you can and enjoy every second you have with them because holy cow, those days are over in a blink it seems.

So sixteen is typically a pretty awesome birthday is it not?  Driving, dating and all that big deal stuff can happen now.  But first of all, Taylor still hasn't taken driver's training.  The $500 + fees have been a bit much to swallow not to mention having to add him to our car insurance.  Plus, Taylor still hadn't mastered bike riding yet and Kalen told him there would be no drivers license until he could ride a bike.  With the sensory issues that he's had, balancing on two skinny wheels has always been hard for Taylor so he just wouldn't do it.  We'd try to get him out there to practice but he always gave up after thirty seconds or so.  But when the youth in the branch decided to plan a big activity where they would do a 34 mile bike ride from Kalamzoo to Lake Michigan, Taylor really wanted to be able to participate.  It took him hours of practice and lots of bumps and bruises, but he finally did it and managed to ride the whole 34 miles!  So now we really do need to figure out how to get him signed up for the drivers training even with the cost involved. 

The other reason this birthday was pretty low key was Taylor himself.  He was actually at scout camp on his birthday which was fine since it had been less than a week after my surgery and throwing a party was not something I wanted to even remotely think about.  However, I offered to let him have friends over for a campfire and yard games on July 3rd shortly after his return from camp.  We figured they could roast hot dogs and do s'mores and play Bocci Ball or Steal the Flag or something and then go see the fireworks that night, but Taylor didn't want to.  He said he would like to do that sometime soon just for fun, but just wanted to keep his birthday party simple.  (And secretly I was so relieved because at only two weeks after surgery, I was still not feeling like much of a party hoster). 

So simple is what he got. Super simple.

Kaya was so proud of her gift to Taylor that she picked out and bought all by herself.

He's been dying for this book ever since he got his Native American flute.  Thanks Nana!

A bike helmet!  (He borrowed one for the youth trip).

Another item on his wish list written by one of Taylor's favorite paleontologists.

The item Taylor wanted most was a brown fedora.  I took a chance and ordered this on line.  Not only was it too small but it wasn't quite the style he had hoped for.  He wanted less Perry the Platypus and more Indiana Jones.  Kendall has since inherited the hat and looks so classy in it and Taylor got to pick out his own hat that is definitely what he wanted.

One of the most poignant things for me with this birthday is that Taylor has been ordained a priest at church and now blesses the sacrament.  Hearing his voice in the microphone that first time was pretty emotional for me.  I'm just so proud of the choices he's making in his life that allow him to do such a thing.  And Spencer has already asked Taylor to baptize him next summer when he turns eight!  How cool is that?