Teenager

He's 13 now.

My daughter just posted a status on Facebook about him that brought tears to my eyes and prompted me to post my first update in a few years. Years? How could it possibly be years since my last post...

He's 13. A teenager. That turning point in life - for everybody else. That time when you look at your child's life and wonder what's next. What will the next few years hold? Will he be a lover or a fighter? Is he going to coast through school or really dig into something? Is he going to fall in love? No, none of those questions apply to him. No... the questions are different - will he ever answer "How was your day?" will he improve his verbal skills to a point where he can depend on them for communication? Will he realize he is transitioning into adulthood? Will he understand why he can't play in the balls at Chuck E Cheese any more?

We gave him a big three-wheeled bike for his birthday. After so many years of working with him to ride a two-wheeler, we listened to him. The two-wheeler is just too unstable for him; it's very uncomfortable and he gets no joy from riding it. We hope he'll be able to enjoy riding this bike, getting up a little speed and feeling the wind rush through his hair. We hope he'll be able to join the family in a bike ride? My back certainly won't miss running alongside him holding onto his bike!

He's 13 now, long past the age when he should be so happy to have some birthday balloons in his room. Bu he is... happy. And he's 13. He's growing up - the only way he knows how.