Happy 18th Birthday Brady!

How can it be? My "original" baby turned 18 today. The last of my "bigs" is now an adult. My Brady . . . my third born . . . my outside-the-box thinker . . . my crazy guy . . . is an adult.

Really?

It is true.

When did this fuzzy headed, big handed,

8 lb. 10 oz. bundle of sweetness grow up?

I was having a hard time believing it,

so I took a little walk down Brady Ave . . .

and I saw . . .

the cutest lil' Florida cowboy ever . . .

and my Okinawa lovin' guy . . .

a growing boy, and his crazy dog . . .

a Daddy mimic . . .

one tough cross country runner,

who gave it all he had at every meet . . .

braces and sand . . .

and the nearly ever-present laughter of my loud boy.

A cute high school freshman, and . . .

let's see . . .

this would be Brady . . . well uh, being Brady . . .

and Brady, being Brady . . .

and yet more Brady, being Brady!

I also saw a thoughtful, reflective, deep thinking young man.

A 16 year old enjoying his favorite birthday treat,

Baskin R*bbin's famed February special, Love Potion #31 . . .

a seventeen year old, enjoying his favorite birthday treat,

Baskin R*bbin's famed February special, Love Potion #31 . . .

and my almost 18 year old

(we celebrated early, on Saturday, so that the Newlys could be here) . . .

enjoying, you guessed it . . .

Baskin R*bbin's famed February special, Love Potion #31!

Brady, you light up our world.

Like a votive candle?

Not so much.

Like fireworks?

Oh yeah!

We love the way you make us laugh.

(I do believe these two speak the same language--

it was taught to them by their eldest brother.)

Brady, our nest is better because you are in it.

You make us think harder.

You make us listen more closely.

You help us to see life from a different angle,

and it is good.

The world awaits you Brayden Erick ~

make your mark!

Blessings from my proud mama nest ~

Tina

To my Brady, who has always marched to his very own beat ~

“If a man loses pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music in which he hears, however measured, or far away.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

I love you B, keep marching!