Fifteen

So very hard to believe that you went from being such a sweet, little baby...well not really little, but very sweet indeed, to a 15 year old young man who is now taller than me. Miles may be the smiliest baby I've ever known. Here he is at 4 months...

and again in his one year photo...

The time..it flies....and it seems impossible...since I'm pretty sure I remember his little voice and his need for me to be involved in every aspect of his day. And aside from me currently making this for him for his lunch every day...

he really is quite independent these days. A very smart, very kind, super wonderful young man!

His 15th birthday..or birt-day as some sign makers in my house say...started off with this....

a nice stack of 15 pancakes....he didn't manage to finish them all..which is probably a good thing!

We headed to a soccer game for Brooke down in San Antonio on one of the military bases and since we have military privileges we just stayed on base and did a little lunch and some bowling.

Miles bowling one of his many strikes.

Right after this we did what all parents must do when in public on a birthday outing. We had them announce to the whole place that it was his birthday! Miles is very shy and after we coaxed him out from under the chair, where he was curled up in the fetal position, he forgave us and we finished bowling!

Proof that the family that bowls together...well, looks like dorks taking pictures like this together. It looked like we were doing a "bowling prayer circle" while doing this. It's a good thing we have little concept of public humiliation.

After bowling, we came home so Miles could open his presents...all things that kids who are 15 really want. Video games, clothes, gift cards, MONEY...good stuff. But I have to say, I think one of his favorite gifts of the day was this granola mix I gave him from Costco. He loves it and we used to have it all the time when we lived in Virginia, very rarely when we lived in Alaska (since Costco was 6 hours away), and I had never seen it since we moved to Texas, but he had been asking for it frequently. When I found it on a trip to Costco a few days before his birthday I grabbed some but then decided later I'd wrap it up for him as a little joke. He LOVED it...and he shared it...great kid!!!

Later that evening we headed out to dinner. Miles' choice of restaurant was Mamacitas...I love that kid! We were seated and were in the midst of enjoying chips, salsa and green dip (YUM!) when the Mariachi band came in and starting playing at the tables. So festive and fun for his birthday!

After dinner, we headed home for the final festivity of the evening. Cake...Miles' choice, was German Chocolate.

And it was oh so very good. Though looking at this picture now I see I could have used more icing.

You can never have too much icing on your birthday!!!!!!

Next birthday is the car birthday...oh somebody help me please!!! I have a year to mentally prepare...I'll need it!