How happeneth this?!
Just kidding! But, seriously, how does this happen? How did we wake up with a 14 year old man child all of the sudden? Thad is the cream of the crop and we just love him so much and each year is a gift to have with him. It doesn't mean we all get a long all the time and never fight or argue, but he is just so good and we are so lucky to have him!
We started celebrations the night before his big day by attending an OSU wrestling match and it was awesome! The energy was so high and the next-level competition was really fun to watch!
His birthday fell on a busy Saturday, but he's always up early, so we had some time to gather and celebrate as a family. I always try to update their memory books for their birthdays and Thad loves reading through his the most. It makes all the time I put into it feel worth it!
Eve made sure he felt like a king on his bday!
And I made sure he was loaded up with the perfect teenage boy snacks!
He had to hustle off to ref some basketball games so we squeezed in for a hug before sending him off!
I always say "I love you" as many times as I can before he shuts the door.
Also, teenage boys not wearing jackets in the middle of the winter is a phenomenon all on its own.
We cut his cake after nap time and sang to him because he was going to be gone all night at a stake dance-
I'm so glad we could steal a few moments to celebrate together even when he is so crazy busy!
Five Guys was the perfect dinner for this handsome teen.
Happy happy 14th birthday, Thad! This is such an exciting time in your life and I'm so glad I can be a part of you figuring it out -- you're doing a great job!
14 Things We Love About Thad
1. Impervious to cold. Withstanding winter temps in only hoodies and crocs is impressive.
2. Babysitter. Being the oldest isn't always glamorous and the babysitting that comes along with it can be a drag, but he always does it with a good attitude and does a great job!
3. Brace face. He has a lot of hardware in his mouth and rarely complains about all of it. We've been so impressed with his tolerance and progress with his orthodontics.
4. Passionate. Thad's passion for competition is so fun to watch! He pushes himself on the wrestling mat, football field, and weight room and we are just impressed with his passion for fitness and competition.
5. Early bird. I don't know many 14 year olds that early rise as easily as he does and we're so grateful for it!
6. Funny. Thad knows how to laugh, have fun, and throw in a funny joke here and there and I love that about him.
7. Sleepy bear. Thad always wants to stay up late, but becomes a little sleepy bear in the corner of the couch every single time.
8. Teacher. Thad moved into the Teacher's quorum at church and has done a great job with his new priesthood responsibilities. We're so grateful he takes them seriously, setting a wonderful example to our family.
9. Wrestler. Watching this kid find a love for wrestling has been amazing.
10. Social. Thad loves to be with people and has found some really great friends at church and school to hang with and we love watching him develop good friendships.
11. Cousin. Thad loves his cousins and wishes he was closer to any of them. He loved seeing the Monsens in Missouri, connecting with Leah and Caden in Utah regularly, and loves hearing about any of the fun things his little cousins are doing!
12. I love you. Thad still says "I love you" unabashedly to us and it makes my mama heart so happy. He has so much love in his heart and isn't ashamed to share it.
13. Max out. Thad loves to max out on his lifts and while we've had to reduce the frequency of maxing out, the fact that he wants to do it just makes me proud. He works hard and wants to see the proof.
14. Conversation. Thad can hold his own in most conversations and it's a great skill that not many teenagers have.
