Birthday Letter to my Youngest Son on his 17th Birthday

When my three boys were little, I was too busy to keep up with their baby books, so I started writing them "birthday letters". The idea was to capture "snap shots" of their personalities each year until their 18th birthdays. Today my youngest son turns 17. Time really is a thief.

To my Sweet Boy:

As I watch you and your brothers grow up, your birthdays seem to hit me the hardest. You are my "baby", and I can't believe you are heading into your last year of high school. Time goes by way to quickly.

As I reflect on the past year, I'm reminded of some of the things that make you the most special 17 year old boy on the planet:

• You are growing into a confident young man, and I'm so proud of how far you've come. You shine on the ice, in school, at work, and in your community.
• You have the best laugh. It's genuine, heartfelt, and contagious.
• You love Crispers, multi-grain Wheat Thins, Granola, Froot Roll Ups, Chicken Alfredo, Gabriel's Pizza, sea salt caramel ice cream, Farmer's Wraps, and cake pops. You also love pancakes with real maple syrup... especially the first ones to come out of the pan.
• Hockey continues to be a big part of your life. You train hard, and you are a kind and supportive teammate. Dad and I love to watch you play.
• Your brothers are your best friends... and it makes me so happy. You work together, play together, and "make fun of your mom" together. (The last one isn't my favourite! lol)
• You love getting up early, taking a 10 minute nap after school, learning guitar, being a newly licensed driver, getting good marks, and volunteering with Unified Sports.

Next year you will graduate high school, and as you take another step toward independence and adulthood, you should know that you'll always be my "baby".

I love you to the moon and back!

Mom
xox