Two weeks from today my son will be FOURTEEN! ARRRGGHH!!!

[liberalhistorian]

And I just turned FORTY in January! And it seems like yesterday I was posting here about my son's thirteenth birthday and his becoming a teenager. WTF, where does the fucking time go, anyway? Man, my son's now a teenager when it feels like yesterday that he was born, and I'm getting OLD!!!! :scared: :scared: :scared: :wow: :wow: :wow:

Now, excuse me while I go have about twenty of these and relive my "youth!"! :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer:

[ewagner]

1. Hold on

it goes really, really fast from here on....

The next time you open your eyes you'll see him waving goodbye from his college dorm in your rearview mirror.....

sigh

I remember all too well.

[liberalhistorian]

6. That's what everyone says, and I

certainly believe it. It's still so hard for me to get my head around the fact that he's almost fourteen and in junior high, I'll probably still be trying to do that at his college graduation ceremony, lol.

I remember one time when he was about eleven months old. My mom and I were out to lunch and we had him in a highchair at the table. Before he turned one, he would always make sounds exactly like birds singing and chirping, it was so eerie. He was sitting there in his highchair at the restaurant, and he just threw back his head and started making those sounds. A woman came over to see him and spoke to us, saying she'd just sent her son back to college after spring break and it was his freshman year. She was almost crying as she said how much my son reminded her of her own son at that age and what she wouldn't give for him to be that age again. We felt bad for her, she was so sad. At that time, it seemed like it would take him forever to get older and that the time would never come. Little did I know!!!!

[skygazer]

2. My youngest turned 17 in December

My oldest grandchild turned SEVEN last November. I'm 44. Just last night, hubby and I were wondering where the hell the time went - ten minutes ago (or so it seems) I was sixteen! I remember it clearly (well, a little hazily but that might be what I was smoking at the time).

I will join you in that drink - :beer: My parents weren't kidding when they said the time will go faster than I thought.

OMG! I've become my parents!! :beer: :beer: :beer:

[liberalhistorian]

4. I know, more and more I'm hearing my mother

talking in my own voice, lol. We live with my mom and stepdad, but she leaves most of the discipline and decisions up to me. It really is true that we become our parents with our children, no matter how much we hated or cringed at what they said and did.

[notadmblnd]

3. doing that is only going to make you feel older

take it from a 46 yr old mother of a 12 yr old.

[Aiptasia]

5. Isn't it about time you've sat him down for "the talk?"

Remember, your kid needs a dad, not a best friend. Especially now, when it's important for him to emulate what he observes from you about how to handle:

1) Puberty
2) Girls/Women
3) Life

I know how you feel. I don't have any kids of my own, but my oldest neice turned 18 this year and is now in college studying how to be an engineer. She wants to build concept sports cars. How's that for tomboy?!

And it seems just a little while ago, she was this cute little redhead with a mass of curly hair.

[liberalhistorian]

8. My stepdad and a good male friend of mine

have talked to him, and continue to talk to him, about the things you mention; I agree, they're very important. I try to be very open, also, when he asks me questions about "delicate" matters.

[Mutley]

7. i'm still pretty young

but my neice turned 8 last month and that makes me feel old. i was there when she was born and now she's 8!

[TNDemo]

9. My daughter will be 14 on Saturday.

And it's my baby!!! I have turned into my mother.

[liberalhistorian]

11. I know, I have, too; isn't

that just a bit frightening?

[TNDemo]

15. Why do we not embrace that?

It seems like we would as we got older but I am horrified by it. I guess it's all the "when I am a mother I will never do that" stuff. I still gasp when I look in the mirror and my mother looks back at me. Worse yet is when it is in the morning with no make-up and bed head because I look like she did in the nursing home!

[BarbaRosa]

10. We didn't have kids,

but it seems like only a short while ago our friends were having kids. Now all of a suddenly, their kids are having kids.

on edit: had to move a pesky commma

[shesemsmom]

12. My girl is 16 and yes

the time has really flown by!!

[nini]

13. You mention being 40 all the time.. does it really bother you?

I didn't care at all when I turned 40. I'm a few years from 50 and could give a damn. It's all in our minds as to what age we feel. If you keep dwelling on it you'll miss out on the benefits of being that age.

Personally, I'd never go back. Each age brings different adventures. Enjoy it.

btw: my son is 28 and my grandson is close to a year old now. I know what you mean about time flying.

BTW - happy birthday to your son.

[liberalhistorian]

18. Yeah, it does kinda bother me.

Largely because I feel that I've done nothing with my life yet. I've never even been married (before I get flamed, let me clearly state that I know there's nothing at all wrong with that. It's just that I'm the only single one among all my family and friends and acquaintances and most people my age are married. I know it's better to be single than to be stuck in a bad marriage and miserable, but still.......). I even still live with my mom and stepdad, although that's mostly for my son's sake; that makes me feel even more like a frustrated teenager. I guess I just recognize that likely half my life is now over and I've done nothing and have nothing to show for it.

[nini]

21. You've done plenty with your life

You've got a son you adore and who is doing well (no small accomplishment at his age) a good home environment (maybe not what you envisioned but good none the less), a job etc.. Living with your parents is a wise decision as it helps with the care of your son - nothing wrong with that.

You didn't settle for a loser relationship when having your son - that took guts and was a wise decision as you say yourself it's better to be single than in a bad marriage and miserable.

I talk to my friends often about this. At our age some are divorced and starting over with nothing, kids are leaving the nest etc.. Our lives are constantly evolving with many ups and downs.

Don't dwell on what you don't have instead of all the wonderful things you do (which is a human thing to do at times, believe me I know).

I haven't been married either - even though I'm a grandmother now :-) so I know your struggles. Try and find time for yourself out of the home and from here(DU) actually. It's amazing what getting out will do for your outlook on life. Loving yourself first will attract love from others.

Good luck and give yourself more credit for what you have done.. don't fret the other stuff - none of us can say everything is the way they thought it would be and if they do they're lying.

[Zomby Woof]

24. No wonder I love you

:loveya:

[liberalhistorian]

26. You know, I hadn't thought of it like that.

You're right, thanks for the pep talk!

[GOPBasher]

14. Hey, wait up!

My daughter's growing pretty fast, too, and I want share a drink with you. :-) :beer: :toast:

[Bullwinkle925]

16. Just wait until he's 'double' that age - 28.

The time does indeed fly. Enjoy him while you have him.

:party:

[liberalhistorian]

17. Shit, when he's 28 I'll be

54 and I don't even want to begin to think of that right now, lol.

[Longgrain]

19. Here I'll buy you another round LH

:beer: :beer: :beer:
:beer: :beer: :beer:
:beer: :beer: :beer:

After I've had a few, I'll resume sending flirty PMs.That should make you feel young again. :evilgrin:

[liberalhistorian]

20. LOL!

Of course, you're welcome to pull up a chair and down some more beers with me. I'd better start receiving those flirty PMs soon, though! :evilgrin: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[ZombieNixon]

22. Fourteen's all right.

If I recall, it didn't seem much different from thirteen. However, come sixteen, he will start whining about a driver's license, especially if you don't get it as soon as he's eligible.

"But parental unit, all the other kids are getting theirs!"

He'll make his parents' life hell. I know I did.

[liberalhistorian]

25. Oh, he's already counting the days

until he can get his temporary license and start driving under the supervision of a parent. Literally. Every other day, he'll say that there's "x more days until my temps." In our state, Ohio, you can get a temporary permit at 15 and-a-half, which for him will be in late October of 2006.

Fortunately, there are strict rules as to the conditions under which they can drive before they can get a permanent license. Like, they have to have a certain number of hours or months, I'm not sure which, of driving with a parent or guardian. It has to be a parent or guardian, too, it can't just be another person who has a license. That's unfortunate for me, lol, but fortunate for him in that he can get a lot more experience under his belt before he gets his actual license. And then my hair will really turn gray!!!

[mogster]

23. Just turned 40 too

:hug:

[seaglass]

27. My son just turned 14 last month, a big change from 13 - he is

becoming a more surly teenager;-)

I actually consider that a positive thing because he is behind in his physical development and I'm hoping this means the hormones are starting to kick in.

Happy B-day to your son!

[MissMillie]

28. I know exactly how you feel, LH

My son will turn 18 this year.

I have no idea where all those years went.

Funny though, since getting a handle on my health, I feel and look younger than I have in years. So how'd I get to be so old?

[av8rdave]

29. It only goes faster....

Mine oldest is 18 and heading for college in a few months. Unbelievable. I think my fingers are still sticky from making him the birthday cake on his 13th. I remember being in a state of shock then as I realized my kid was a teen.

Treasure that birthday with him. You're right at the opening scene of the picture about what he'll be like as an adult - I think you'll enjoy the show!

av8rdave

[Brewman_Jax]

30. Remember...

you aren't getting older, the kids are.

Birthday? I know the feeling, just had mine almost a couple of weeks ago, and I look mahr-velous!

:toast: :party: :beer: :woohoo: