Thirteen

It is official. 

We have a teenager in the house.   

Thirteen years ago Pat and I became parents.  We had barely been married for a year. 

We were still learning about each other and now we were...parents.  

Thankfully Patrick was a delightful baby. He was always happy. He was content to snuggle and coo and be held.  We truly fell in love with him from the very moment he was born.  We chose not to find out what the gender of the baby would be so we had both a girl name chosen as well as knowing that if he was a boy, he would carry on Pat's name.  So, as soon as the doctor told us the baby was a boy, we knew his name was Patrick.

Patrick loved to be rocked, read to, and sung to.  That was our nightly ritual.  He loved to watch country music videos on TV while singing and dancing along. His love of music hasn't changed one bit.   

I just can't believe, as I look over the photos from the past 13 years, how quickly life has flown by.

It seems like just yesterday, we were helping him learn to ride his first bike.

And now I am looking him in the eye (he is as tall as me). He has become such a talented, bright young man. I know there is a great future ahead for him.  I am so excited to see what is yet to come.

Happy 13th Birthday, Patrick.