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Eats Shoots & Leaves
Citizen
Username: Mfpark
Post Number: 3421
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 9:34 am: | 
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I know, most of us have kids, and all of us have birthdays. But it is still such an amazing thrill to be able to take a moment to thank the universe for bringing him into my life. We SHOULD do this every day, and in small ways we do, but transitional days like this are special.
My oldest son turns 14 today and he is growing up to be a wonderful, thoughtful, empathetic young man and I am so thrilled and proud of him! He arranged for a neat skateboard birthday party last weekend (all I had to do was drive them all over--he made all the plans, including having it catered by Chef Jesse--love them ribs!). He is arranging for another day out with his mom and friends this weekend. And he had his first date with a really neat girl yesterday--hearing them talk on the phone last weekend, it was clear that he is an active listener/good talker and not a typical "guy". He handles himself with respect and dignity, and treats women well. And it is so much fun to watch him get butterflies in the belly when he talks about her (I warned him--that is a lifetime affliction--man, it is SOOOO neat to be able to talk to your kids about something like that)!
As my grandmother would say, I just have to kvell. Being a parent can be hard work, but it is so darn much fun at the same time. |
Shanabana
Citizen
Username: Shanabana
Post Number: 541
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 9:39 am: |
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Congrats to your son! And to you,good parent. My stepdaughter turns 14 the day after tomorrow. I's nice when there are signs that there will be relatively smoothe sailing ahead, isn't it!
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doulamomma
Citizen
Username: Doulamomma
Post Number: 1521
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 9:42 am: |
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Very sweet - you brought a tear to my eyes! Congrats |
Nancy - LibraryLady
Supporter
Username: Librarylady
Post Number: 3558
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 9:44 am: |
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Since parents always get blamed for the bad stuff their kids do, I think it is appropriate to give you credit for the terrific, neat kid you raised.
As the mom of two wonderful 20somethings let me warn you there still will be bumpy times ahead. But it seems like the roots have been established and they will develop into fine and thoughtful adults.
Congratulations and ENJOY!! |
Eats Shoots & Leaves
Citizen
Username: Mfpark
Post Number: 3423
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 9:50 am: |
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Tnanks, all, but the achievement is all his--after firmly believing in nurture over nature, I went and had kids and realized that we all come hard-wired with our own spin into this world. All parents really can do is to help encourage the development of the strong parts, and help teach kids to recognize and deal with the weaknesses. And, believe me, if you knew my kids, you would know how wild and wooly they can be, how much hard work is still ahead of them (and us).
It is so easy to focus on the negatives, I just wanted to recognize the positives, which are far more prevalent if also less noticeable. |
buzzsaw
Citizen
Username: Buzzsaw
Post Number: 4976
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 10:13 am: |
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AMEN!
and Happy Birthday.... |
Lucy
Supporter
Username: Lucy
Post Number: 4071
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 10:39 am: |
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Have a great time with your son celebrating the day. The rollercoaster is just starting in the teen years! |
Bailey
Citizen
Username: Baileymac
Post Number: 308
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 4:04 pm: |
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Congrats to you and your son!
Our kids are grown and married now, but 14 doesn't seem all that long ago. Our youngest played Bass in a band around that age and for many more years, and our basement became their studio. Lots of noise, lots of fun (even though one of our neighbors called the police once).
Happy Birthday, son of ES&L!
Celeb June 10th Birthdays:
Actor Barry Morse (TV's "The Fugitive") is 88.
Singer Shirley Alston Reeves of The Shirelles is 65.
Actor Andrew Stevens is 51.
Bassist Kim Deal of The Pixies is 45.
Singer Maxi Priest is 45.
Actress Gina Gershon is 44.
Actress Jeanne Tripplehorn is 43.
Drummer Jimmy Chamberlin (Smashing Pumpkins, Zwan) is 42.
Model-actress Elizabeth Hurley is 41.
Guitarist Joey Santiago of The Pixies is 41.
Guitarist Emma Anderson (Lush) is 39.
Country guitarist Brian Hofeldt of The Derailers is 39.
Singer Mike Doughty (Soul Coughing) is 36.
Singer Jo-Jo of K-Ci and Jo-Jo is 35.
Singer Faith Evans is 33.
Singer Lemisha Grinstead of 702 is 28.
Actor Shane West ("ER," "Now and Again") is 28.
Singer Hoku is 25.
Actress Leelee Sobieski is 24.
Ice Skater Tara Lipinski is 24
Actor Joey Zimmerman is 20
June 10th in History
1909: SOS signal used as an emergency call for the first time
1943: The ballpoint pen patented in the United States
1950: The West turns down Soviet plans to reunify Germany
1971: Us lift 21 year trade embargo on China
1979: First ever European Assembly elections
Other June 10th birthdays
1819: Gustav Courbet, French painter
1832: Nicholaus Otto, German engineer
1840: Henry Morton Stanley, US journalist and explorer
1922: Judy Garland, US actress of 'Wizard Of Oz' fame |
Wendy
Supporter
Username: Wendy
Post Number: 2607
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 4:42 pm: |
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What wonderful things you have written above! Please wish your son a very Happy Birthday for me ESL. I still remember coaching him on that very young baseball team. How far we all have come! |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 8002
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 9:07 pm: |
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Seems like he has a very good role model on what it takes to be a man. |
S.L.K.s. Ghost
Citizen
Username: Scrotisloknows
Post Number: 1661
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 9:42 pm: |
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Happy B-Day ESL Jr! 
I hope is was a good one...
-SLK |
Brett
Citizen
Username: Bmalibashksa
Post Number: 2446
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, June 11, 2006 - 9:08 am: |
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"and not a typical "guy". "
Yes at 14 you're to freaked out that a girl is talking to you to be a typical "guy".
My dad askes me every birthday, "What did you learn this year" it's great to have lunch with him and tell him about how I'm growing up, well grew up, well getting old.
Happy Bday |
BGS
Supporter
Username: Bgs
Post Number: 1073
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 4:31 pm: |
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esl- from previous notes that I have read from you, it is very obvious to me where this young man gets his sensitivity from....(I am not taking anything away from his Mom but I have not had conversation or written word with her so I can only give you credit).
It is nice to be able to write about the good in our offspring...
I must echo LibraryLady though...write these good times down so that when you are ready to wring his neck you will be able to remember these times!!
Happy Belated Birthday to younger ESL!!
Ciao!
BGS |
Eats Shoots & Leaves
Citizen
Username: Mfpark
Post Number: 3425
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 5:11 pm: |
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Thanks BGS and all for the kind words.
His mom is also a person who values people and personal responsibility, so my kids often get called out when they transgress. And they are normal kids, selfish and self-centered, callously indifferent to the needs of others, all that stuff--yet, it is becoming clear that their core values are strong.
And I mean this, the amazing thing is that it mostly comes from within him (and my other kids, who also are showing signs of empathy and grudgingly nascent strains of responsibility). That is what is so cool about raising kids. Actually, "raising" is a misnomer. Really what we do is guide them, steer them as best we can, support the good and correct the bad, and realize that it is a lot more like herding wild cats that cultivating a domestic herd.
Anyhow, he had a great time down here with his friends skateboarding, and he got a laptop so he is feeling materially sated for now. |
Bajou
Citizen
Username: Bajou
Post Number: 615
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 6:49 pm: |
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Dear Eats Shoot & Leaves:
Happy belated B-Day to your son.
He is a gemini the lucky guy
born on the best day of the year
as far as I am concerned
cause it's also my birthday ..you hear!!!
Meant the wishes from the heart
Tried to ryme em up but I suck..
I can't help it I am an old fart
But tell your son I meant it ... Best of luck
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Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 14673
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 11:41 pm: |
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I often think that my daughters' birthdays are happier for me than for them, because their birthdays remind me of the miracles my daughters are.
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