Julia is 12 years old!

 Okay, okay, so... as you have gotten older and have busier lives, these birthday updates have gotten more and more delayed. In fact, I took these pictures when you were 12.5 years old, and I'm literally posting it like 5 days from your thirteenth birthday, but I think that still counts!

Julia, you are an amazing young woman. You are brilliant, extremely self motivated to explore whatever creative passion you are in to at the time (taylor swift bracelets, scrapbooking, rearranging your room), you are generous of spirit and kindhearted, you work incredibly hard, you have a beautiful singing voice and sing ALL. THE. TIME. As of this writing you're in your Newsies era and you and I have been practicing the National Anthem in two part harmony. You love your lessons with Miss Bonnie. You have a tight group of friends, and you have big dreams to be on broadway some day.

You are a delight and you have the brightest future ahead of you.

When you turned 12 you were at the beginning of your last year of Upper Elementary School, on the precipice of adolescence... you have always been mature, but you still giggle like crazy when your funny bone is tickled or when your brother (and I) burp on command. 

We are in awe of you daily!

Here's the FULL birthday photo shoot, and - I'm no fool- I only posted the pictures that you said you approved of! Except for one that I loved that you didn't...can you guess which one it is?

  

Aidan turns 12!

 Aidan, my son, today you are 12.

You are turning into such an incredible young man.

Despite any obstacles in your way, you remain at heart a kind, caring, sweet, creative, darling young man.

I want to tell you a couple of stories about yourself at 12.

First, today, on your birthday, Julia just so happened to have her music recital. Some brothers might have moaned or felt indignant about sharing the spotlight with someone else, let alone their little sister, on their birthday. But not you! You didn't even say a word about it; you happily attended Julia's concert and cheered her on! That's just who you are!

The other story I want to tell you happened at the beginning of this school year (yes, I'm writing this from the future). There was a boy in your class who was sitting all alone. You went to sit next to him and talk to him. Some other boys told you that you shouldn't talk to him because he's 'weird' or 'different.' You turned to them and told them something to the effect of "why shouldn't I sit with him? he can have friends too!" And so you did, you sat with him and talked all about pokemon or something together for the entire lunch and you came home and said "we're friends now." This is such a big part of you- you are kind, sweet, empathetic, and have the biggest heart of anyone I know.

This, and many, many other reasons, are why I'm so proud you're my son. I've loved all 12 years of being your dad- the pain, sunny days, and rain- and I can't wait for the next 12!

I love you!

From Day 1...

Through Day 4,380...

We have- and alway will- loved you to a million, billion, trillions pieces!