Happy 12th Birthday, Thing One!

Hey! Surfer dude! How cool are you?

Thing One is now 12. One year away from being a teenager. Sigh. I was just saying the other day, how slowly the time seemed to go when the boys were little, and how quickly the time goes by now that they're older. There must be some law of physics that covers this.

It's been a big year for Thing One. As the credits rolled in the last Harry Potter film in July, he turned to me and he said, "Well, that's the end of an era." I could have said the same to him, as it was the same time he was leaving his primary school and heading into the great unknown of secondary school. He's now happily settled in his new school-- playing rugby (see below), learning new subjects (like Latin) and making new friends (of the girl persuasion).

The more things change:

1. Girls!

2. He's learning how to play rugby.

3. He has a mobile phone, and he's not afraid to use it.

4. He has to wear a tie to school every day, which literally ages him about 10 years. I still can't get used to the sight of it.

The more they stay the same:

1. Science and math are still his favourite subjects.

2. He's still a fantastic big brother.

3. He still loves to read, though the books are getting quite a bit darker. (I think Stephen King might be just around the corner.)

4. He's still incredibly thoughtful. The other day, we passed a homeless man on the street. A little bit along, Thing One had stopped and was rooting around in his pockets. I was impatient to get home and nearly (though luckily didn't) asked him why in the world was he holding us up. He finally found what he was looking for-- it was all of his spare change to give to the homeless man. I was speechless. Children do have the capacity to amaze adults, and this was one of those times.

Happy Birthday to Thing One!

Next Up: (Cue ominous music): The teenage years!