Happy 12th Birthday Spencer!!

It's a rainy Tuesday morning.......The cell phone rings hidden underneath Spencer's pillow. It's me calling to wish him a Happy Birthday. He stumbles down the stairs...no shirt on wiping the sleep from his eyes...I say, "Answer it!". He answers and I sing Happy Birthday. He thanks me and hands me the phone. See....his new phone looks like mine so he gingerly hands the phone back to me. It's the one he picked out months ago that he's been talking about wanting

every

single

day.

I say, "Spencer this isn't my phone". This is your phone. His whole demeanor changes. A surge of energy rushes through his body, he grabs me, hugs me, jumps around in the air, and exclaims, "THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!"

I sit and reflect how 12 years have gone by so quickly son. Sometimes, I must admit the days were long, but many days were filled with laughter as well.  You have taught me so much about how to be a mom and how to love. You have helped me grow up. I remember us wheeling out of St. Thomas hospital with you in my arms at all of 22 years old thinking, "oh my gosh....Are they just going to let me go home with him?" You quickly became, "angel face" and "TB.". Now you would die if we called you anything other than Spencer or Spence in public. You now open the doors for total and complete strangers. You love Dad, Natalie, and I. You are extremely passionate. Right now, your obsessions include Star Wars Battlefront on the computer, Madden on Wii, who's going to win each football game on Sunday, Legos, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, World War II, and of course your new cell phone. You try hard in school, love to play football, and are a great runner. I am proud of the person you are and are becoming.....I love you! Here's some flashback pictures:

At the hospital right after you were born:

3 months old

6 months old:

1 year old:

2 years old

2 1/2 years old:

3 years old:

Now:

Happy 12th Birthday!

Love, Mom