No, We're Not Jewish, But Son....Today You Are a Man.

Luke is 13.

He told his teacher he'd be bringing "brownies" in for the class as a treat for his birthday. He did just that. The teacher expected a chocolate treat. She seems to have completely forgotten of what Luke is capable. He's far more literal than anyone gives him credit. Brown "E's." He printed out a brown-colored letter "E", cut them out, and handed one to each of his classmates. Only one boy had the balls to eat it. That's just pure genius.

Some families measure their kids' growth on a chart, or scribble a line in a doorway. Luke? We take his picture next to a giant print of (the now dearly departed) Larry Hagman.  Luke loves to go to TGIFriday's for his birthday dinner, which has been a bit of a tradition the last 3 years. An enjoyable time, as always. 

The cliche of time flying is really very true. I had been going through the baby pictures, the toddler and young school-age photos. He's grown at least 5" in stature in 3 years, and about 2000% in maturity.  Luke is my son first, the #1 man in my heart, my harshest critic and my greatest cheerleader. 

Sure, now we're at the stage where I embarrass him enough in the mall to the point where he acts like a jerk and I threaten to throw him into Victoria's Secret by physical force. But for every minute he spends with me, somehow he wishes that would stretch to an hour. I am fortunate at his age that he will even been in public with me. 

But in general, being a parent has been and is the greatest privilege in my whole life. I've screwed so many things up, but not this young man. Wise beyond his years and a hell of a kid, even though I'm biased.

My little, helpless baby grew into a teenager. I couldn't be any more astonishingly proud. 

2009

2010

2011

2013--THE TEENAGER.

Luke, being the first to poke fun at himself with a keen sense of humor, made his own birthday video. It's really rather excellent, with awesome edits and seamless transitions. And big coup? How many kids (I can't embed the video) get a personal birthday greeting video from one of the Flaming Lips' Steven Drozd?

It can be found here, though you may have to approve the app Telly...I don't think it's a download:

telly.com/0O86NR 

Luke's awesome birthday video. He IS his mother's child.

Hell, we could make a growth chart of how many times Luke's hung out with Flaming Lip Wayne Coyne:

2006--Lollapalooza Chicago

2010: Milwaukee, WI after a show:

Wayne & Luke, Aragon Ballroom, 2011