Sweet 16 and Nifty 9 birthday edition picture of the week!
Today we celebrate Spencer's 16th birthday.
In some ways it's completely unimaginable that he's 16 years old and in other ways I can't believe he's only 16.
Spencer has a wise, old soul. This doesn't mean he doesn't occasionally do silly teenage boy stuff. I chalk that up to an under-developed prefrontal cortex. (No really...) He has a quiet confidence and natural ability to talk to people that will serve him well for a long, long time.
Spencer has built some great relationships with a really good group of kids. I love that he can bounce between groups and has friendships with lots of people.
We really couldn't have asked for a better role model for the other boys than Spencer. He's doing well in school (not awesome, but we're working on that) with a very difficult course load while still playing 3 sports and regularly putting in 12 hour days between school and practice. It's a tough schedule - and yet he rarely ever complains - except about homework.
I can't wait to see what this year brings for our oldest. He's getting his driver's license this week. He's getting more freedom - and more responsibility. I have no doubt that he will SLAY everything that comes his way this year. And I couldn't be prouder to stand behind him as his biggest (or at least co-biggest with Bob) supporter and cheerleader.
Happy, happy birthday Spencer! Enjoy every day!
****************************
We also get to celebrate another birthday on Saturday! Zane turns 9 in just 2 short days.
Zane is kind of famous these days, but he really doesn't even know it. His unique, and highly sarcastic and honest, personality is regularly shared in Bob's Bus Stop Zane stories. If anyone thinks these stories are embellished or exaggerated, I assure they are not. He's like that all the time. He's ridiculously quick witted and processes information on several different levels. Having raised two 3rd graders already - and been around a lot of them - he's pretty unique.
Every day Zane seems a bit more equipped to handle the everyday frustrations of life. Sometimes he still loses his mind when things don't go the way he expects they should. He's pretty stubborn - and often doesn't communicate super well. So it's hard to talk him off a ledge when the carefully laid out path he has in his mind verges off course. This is a maturity thing - and a resiliency thing - and something that we continue to work with him to handle.
Zane is a breeze student - he just doesn't find school hard - so he can focus on the things he likes and really enjoy them. Right now he is really into STEM (science specifically - less so math) and reading. He's also into video games and plays Minecraft and Fortnite and who knows what else!
Zane's best buddy is Beckett - hands down. Beck is also his biggest enemy. I suppose you can say they are Frenimies! They play together SO well and are constantly helping each other - they play video games together, sports together, read together, fight together, scheme together... Those two are really the epitome of brothers!
Zane also has very special relationships with the older boys. He worships Spencer. The bits of attention that Spence gives him are received with awe and he really blossoms from the smallest gestures. Zane views Quinn as a semi-parent - and definitely as an ally when he's having a spat with Beckett. I'm pretty confident that Zane knows that Quinn would help him with just about anything he needed - just about any time he needed it.
9 years old can be sort of an awkward stage, but I think Zane is going to flourish this year. He's really enjoying football this year - as he gets to play Center and some Defensive Line. This winter he is psyched to wrestle and I can't wait to see him on the mats after all he learned in Jui Jitsu. And then in the spring it's back to lacrosse - where I expect he will have a great season as one of the oldest boys in the U9 program. In the middle of all of that, I'm sure he will also continue to entertain his BSZ fans (and his parents) with his special "take" on life.
Zane is going to celebrate his birthday with his friends next weekend once everyone is back from fall break, but we will be busy celebrating him on Saturday with waffles, and cupcakes and creme brulee (his choices).
Happy, happy Birthday Zane! Tahnks for being such a special little dude!
