Zero to 18 in no time flat

Zero to 18 in 22 seconds. That is truly what it feels like when my oldest child is now OFFICALLY an adult. I am one lucky mom. Even today he asked me “Does it feel weird we are all growing up?” My answer was……DEFINITELY.

He has always been a dirt biker

I have been struggling with Jackson this year. Not with him but the fact that he is now 18 and a senior. The fact that my oldest kid is going to join the Military after Graduation. The fact that he isn’t a little boy anymore with big ears and an even bigger smile.  I guess every parent struggles with the fact their kids are getting older. I sometimes look at him when he is speaking and can see WAY down the line when he has a family of his own. I see the growth. I see his caring nature. I see his joking side. I see how much he has grown. I see him turning into a man.

Me and my Adult Son

For Jacks 18^th bday he wanted to go to an All you can eat Sushi place. There is nothing like that around where we live although we do love us some sushi. His Mom and I talked and decided we would bring him to Reno so both sides of the family could meet up. We wanted him to have a big birthday with her and her side of the family plus Ryan and I and our side of the family. It was going to be great! Sushi, bowling and staying at a Casino. Cousins everywhere. I think Jackson was worried it was going to be a little babyish but in the end he said he really liked it.

We did the all you can eat sushi with 21 of us. Everyone chatted and had fun. It was all for Jackson and he was the star of the show. I wished I would have gotten a picture of him when the whole restaurant sang to him. The embarrassed look on his face was classic. We all laughed, ate and had a good time. After filling our bellies full we went over to Grand Sierra Resort to do Black light bowling.

A whole bunch of us

 

Jack with his mom on left and MIL on right

 

Cassie, Josh and Aunt Kelly loving Sushi

 

 Jen and some of the younger Cousins

 

Ryan and I loving Sushi

Ok I am going to stop for a second and say something important to me. I may not be Jackson’s biological mom. I am technically his step mom and have only been in his life since he was 10 but I love him like he is my own. He has my heart. I am thankful that his Biological mom and family understand that. They even call me the “other mom” as I am just that. The other mom. I am not the wicked step mom in Cinderella. I love Jackson and have since I laid eyes on him and his brother. Ryan and I have never treated the four kids differently. They get loved the same and punished the same. We are very blessed they get along so well and they view each other as brothers and sisters. My heart aches when any of them are hurt and is over joyed when something happens good to any of them. I am also very thankful that you can take two families that have been through a divorce and still be there for the kids. And have fun mind you too.

Ok so back to my kid turning 18. We all went bowling for two hours. It was a blast. Not only was it fun for the little kids but it was fun for the adults too. I laughed so many times. I laughed when my dad took off his shoes because he was afraid to slip. I laughed when Jacksons Uncle John told me how he was a great bowler but only on Wii. I laughed when any of us would get a strike and see the ultimate joy in our faces or rather surprised look that we did it actually. It was a good time. I loved getting to know Jackson and Jason’s Mom side better. Everyone was really nice and never made anything awkward. I loved seeing my nieces Kylie and Mariah bowl with their bumper pads and thinking to myself maybe I would do better if I used those too.

Jacob and Jackson going head to head

The thing that I hope Jackson saw in the end was there were so many people there who loved him. So many people who wanted to share in his bday of turning into an adult. He had Uncles and Aunts from both sides there, His Grandma Sally, His Papa Vaughn and Grandma Andy and then he had a slew of cousins from young to old there plus his siblings and all his 3 parents. I think that is how every big birthday should be. Full of fun and love for your child. Not many divorced families can pull that off but if you truly love the kids....you will.

It was an amazing night. Lots of laughs and lots of love. Jackson later went out with his older cousin Jacob to have a little one on one time too. Also shout out to Jacob. I like that kid (whelp technically adult) and I promised him if he won in bowling I would give a shout out! HI JACOB!

It was a good night. My son is finally 18. The skies have opened up for him and he is an adult. Just a couple more months and he will be graduating too. I love you Jackson. For the next couple months I may hug you a little longer and a little tighter…..you just have to stop growing up.

How do I have a 17 year old at 24?

First off I would like to know how is my oldest turning 17 if I am only 24 years old? How is that even possible?

I seriously cannot believe Jackson is growing up so fast in front of my eyes. 17 is well...practically 18 and then he is considered an adult by law. Not by me of course because well all my kids will always be my babies. I don't care if they are 38 and think they are adults....they are still my kids :) Hmmm I wonder if that is how my dad or my Mother in law look at Ryan and I still? We will still puff out our chests and stand tall and act like we are adults though even though we are probably still their babies. :)

Being a blended family I haven't had the luck to have Jackson since he was born but I have had him since he was this 10 year old kid who when he hugged me wasn't even close to my shoulders yet. This little kid who was skinny with these big little ears and big blue eyes. Now he is taller than me...still skinny but has muscles (he would kill me if I didn't say that) and he grew into his ears lol:)

In 7 years that he has been in my life I have loved him since day one. He has always been our jokester of the house. The "pusher" of sorts. He sometimes will argue so well that Ryan and I start to wonder if we really are making the right decision. The one thing I do know is that when he puts his mind to something he gets it done. He is my mechanical kid. He can fix things that I never would even know where to start and is a hard worker when he works with his dad on the ranch. He is a good kid.

I seriously cant believe I have a 17 year old though. I guess with him being the oldest and his sister being 9 months behind I am just shocked each time.  I am 38 and have a 17 year old. I am 38 and have a 17 year old. I AM 38 and have a 17 year old. NOPE.....still doesn't sound right lol! I am going to have to tell him that he is just 14 like his other two brothers or something just so I feel okay about him growing up.

I feel like I don't have enough time. Ok so I know I have his whole life but he is a Junior already and then next year he will be a Senior and then College or Coast Guard (that's his passion at the moment). He has way too good of grades right now to be a Junior twice so I guess I better just wrap my mind around that yes my oldest is 17 and he will be a Senior next year. AHHH!

Is this something all parents go through? The thinking they don't have enough time to teach them everything they need to know before he is on his own. I mean he will never be on his own as we will always be here for him but it feels like I am in a time crunch for sure.

Anyways Jack has a good birthday. It was kind of spread through the weekend because on his actual bday he had an away game for basketball. So he got home really late. In our family and I am not sure how this happened but it happened years ago when the kids actually had bday parties with ppl over and food served we put a price on the bdays. Each kid so they couldn't complain that one got more than another got 200 dollars. This though was for the party....the cake....and then presents. This was happening before the four of them were even teenagers and we used to have tons of friends over for airsoft games or sleepovers or themed parties. Their 16th bday is much, much bigger as we only have one BIG bday like that for each kid. Jackson last year got a dirt bike for his bday. Cassie then after got a huge Masquerade party with all her friends and family and DJ. THAT only happens once in their lives lol. Its going to be interesting when Josh and Jason turn 16 in two years because they are only two months apart. We might be broke. Lets hope they decide to do something together. Anyways back to the 200 dollar thing. Now that they are teenagers they don't want the parties or get together as much. They want cold hard cash to add to all the other cash they get from family. Then they buy something that is obscenely expensive to us but they JUST HAVE TO HAVE. Jackson got his money from us and then some from his mom, my dad, my sister, his grandma etc.....I swear he has more money than we do lol. Anyways he has decided to buy BEATS which are headphones. 340 dollar ones. To me that is so insane but we have always told them that its their bday money and they can spend it on what they want. I mean Ryan and I aren't going to buy those for them. So now two kids have them (Cassie saved up Christmas money).

Let me tell you though its just not as fun giving cash. I like to shop and buy something that means something and give it to them to open. What's the fun in cash? Not much. They love it though. So this year I had to find away to make it fun to open the money. I got the 200 dollars in ones, fives, tens and twenties. I taped each dollar to the next in a row. Then I put it in a tin that said happy bday with a pull tab. Once Jackson pulled it.....and pulled...and pulled...and pulled to have the money keep going out. If Ryan and I could of we would of done all ones just to make it more fun. We also gave him his favorite soda and snickers since he is always asking for that.

It was pretty fun I guess to do it that way. We ended up having the bday family dinner on Sunday though since everyone was so busy. The kids always get to chose their favorite meal. Jacks is ribs and mashed potatoes.

He also got his mud pie (my kid is so like me sometimes lol) but he wanted two so we all can have a piece and he had one whole pie to himself. Smart kid huh.......

Anyways it was a good weekend. Happy Bdays were sung, food was eaten and BEATS were bought. I still cannot believe I have a 17 year old. It will probably take me a year to get to used to it and by then he will be turning 18. YIKES! Someone slow down the clock!

Happy Bday Jackson. May this year be the best you have had yet. May Blessing be upon you and may you continue to grow and mature into a wonderful young man. I love you with all my heart!


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