Project 16 to 16: Day 7

Today marks the end of the first week of our big countdown. I am glad that I have this to distract me from the realization that my "little boy" is turning 16 in a matter of days!

I'll be honest, again today the photo of the day is not exactly what I had PLANNED to share today. I'm going to hope that I can work that idea in later in the week, but this is still something I wanted to highlight.


Just look at my boys! Wonder Boy simply ADORES his Wonder Mutt. And the Mutt most certainly reciprocates! This snap was taken just before bed tonight. The Mutt is funny, by the time he finishes dinner, he is pretty much ready to turn in for the night. He sleeps in Wonder Boy's room and if we leave the door ajar, he will sneak in there and try to turn in early. In comparison, Wonder Boy is NEVER ready for bed. Now, once he gets to sleep, he is a champion sleeper who can rack up more than 12 hours in the sack with ease (if we let him). But despite that fact, he never wants to concede to sleep. I'm not really complaining as he DOES go right on to sleep. It just strikes me as funny that a kid who likes to sleep so much would fight going to bed.

In our look back to 2007, we see our favorite kiddo doing one of his favorite things - creating! These neat building toys are called "Zoobs" and I can't even begin to tell you how much fun he had with them over the years! He and Wonder Dad were able to build all KINDS of cool creations from helicopters to a great white shark to these cool dinosaurs!

Eventually we passed on these toys to some friends with kiddos who also have a passion for creating. I hope they have gotten as much fun out of them as we did!

Project 16 to 16: Day 6

This is the stage of this project where, when you see the Boy in our "look back" photo, you can see at least a little bit of the "big guy" he has now become. It starts right around the time of his 5th birthday, around the time he started "grow up" it seems. It strikes a chord with me that it would be his fifth year where that he had so many milestones (the "Big 5" birthday, graduating preschool, starting martial arts and team sports) that his "big kid" personality would start to shine so brightly, but it certainly does!


I'll be honest, this was not the photo I had planned for today. I really wanted to see if I could bribe my guys into re-creating at least the pose from our flash-back photo. But in the end, I think this is the right look at today.

I snapped this right before bed tonight. The Boy had a full day. He's been helping out a whole lot around the house as both his dad and I have been under the weather. And he had a viola lesson this afternoon. And top all of that off with a good-sized stack of homework (which is certainly becoming the norm for this school year) and really, this was always going to be the photo for today.

I think it has surprised Wonder Boy that the course work has increased by SO MUCH this school year. It increases every year. He's come to accept that. But I truly don't think he was prepared for a jump in workload of this magnitude. He is beginning to adjust. We all are. But it has taken a bit longer than any of us could have anticipated.

In the end, we know this is a good thing. He needs to be prepared for when he goes off to college where the workload will be considerable, but there will not be anyone "cracking the whip" to make sure he gets it done. While I would love to lighten his load, I am thankful that working for the grades he wants to achieve will not be something new when he moves on to that next level.

Our flash back is one of my all time favorite photos of my guys together. It was taken on Father's Day 2006. Wonder Boy was at the height of his fascination with "the Incredibles" and he dubbed his daddy "Mr. Incredible" just as quickly as he assumed the role of "the Dash." We couldn't find any "Incredibles" shirts for Wonder Dad that summer, so we made our own! It became Wonder Dad's soccer jersey that fall and that made the season that much more special for Wonder Boy and for us all really. Wonder Boy really DOES have the most Incredible Dad ever!

Project 16 to 16: Day 5

It's Day 5 of our count down to Wonder Boy's big day. And today I am going to again talk about something of which I have mentioned every year, I am sure: the role that music plays in the boy's life!


For the past few months, the boy has started playing around with this classical guitar. He starts official lessons in a few days, but he had made some really incredible gains on his own. And, at present, I enjoy hearing his guitar practice more than any other instrument he plays (& that is saying something because I really love them all)!

Looking back, we see our dear Boy in 2005, conducting the soundtrack to the movie Fantasia. Even at such a young age he was drawn to classical music. As the movie began, he would take center stage in the living room, raise his hands with the conductor, and completely steal the show for all of us present. As the screen faded into the cartoonist's interpretation of the notes, Wonder Boy began to dance and sway around the room. It was a show I truly miss seeing. But more than that, I think it was a glimpse into the importance music will always be to our Boy.

I am glad the Boy has music in his life. I have seen it bring peace when he was troubled. I have seen it echo the joy and glee felt on the best of days. And I have seen it focus his thoughts when he was anxious or having trouble getting settled.

And maybe the best part is that music is a blessing that can be shared!

Project 16 to 16: Day 4

Today's photos seem very stereotypical for kids of Wonder Boy's generation. Technology has been, and continues to be, a huge part of his life!


We know, when we are not sure where to find the Boy, there's a strong possibility we'll find him in the computer room, engrossed in some program, some video, or some tutorial.

There are many reasons to limit and monitor the use of technology, but at the same time, it is an amazing tool!

When we were young, if we wanted to learn anything outside of classroom material, we needed a trip to the library or we hoped some family member had a fairly recent set of encyclopedias. Today, when the Boy wants to check out something new, he need go no further than his computer! He spends more than his fair share of any given day parked in that chair, but he doesn't just wile away his time. Most days, we find him engrossed in some new math concept. He has been very driven to learn concepts of differential calculus for the better part of the summer and continuing into this fall (despite the fact that he is just taking Algebra II at school).

He loves all things math, but he passed up Wonder Dad's and my level of expertise many months ago. So we are very thankful that he has a place to research his favorite topic!

In our flash back to 2004, we see our little guy happily enjoying a few moments of screen time. We can't see the screen here, but my guess is that he was playing a Micky Mouse alphabet game - it was his favorite back then. What I love most about this snapshot is the the look of pure joy on his face.

As you can see, the computer has been his "happy place" for many years now and that shows no sign of changing any time soon.

Project 16 to 16: Day 3

It's day 3 and today I am reminded of one of the BEST PARTS of this yearly project - when looking for my "flash back" photo, I stumbled on a photo that I had completely forgotten about and it brought a HUGE smile to my face.


Our snap from this morning is our dear Wonder Boy with his puppy princess. Neither of them are what you would call a "morning person" but the Boy has learned that the mornings are probably the best time to get in some cuddles with his best girl. She's really started acting her age as of late and I think we're all trying to soak up whatever cuddles she feels like sharing.

Our flashback to 2003 is my smile for the day though! I had completely forgotten that the Boy went through this phase where he wanted to do everything upside down! I drew the line at letting him eat while upside down, but it wasn't worth the fight to ban him from watching TV or listening to one of us read to him in this manner.

He really was a fun little guy who always kept us on our toes!

Project 16 to 16: Day 2

For those that know him well (or those who have heard my lament when trying to find pants that fit this kid), you won't be surprised when I mention that Wonder Boy is a .... let's call it "selective" eater and always has been.

He has ridden the same 25th percentile for weight since the day he drew his first breath (his height is another story though). And finding nutritious foods that he enjoys eating has always been a challenge.


I am pleased to say his menu is considerably more diverse than it was in his younger years, but compared to the vacuum cleaners that characterize so many teenage guys, Wonder Boy is still rather choosy when snacking.

In the top photo, you see the Boy's favorite food of all time - carnitas! He could (and sometimes DOES) eat carnitas at every meal. It's the one food that I know he will never turn down (and if he ever does, I'm taking him straight to the doctor). As a matter of fact, he had a couple of carnitas tacos for dinner last night and then again for breakfast this morning. And as we were leaving for school, I caught him checking to make sure there would be more for dinner tonight (there are!).

When he was small, he preferred chicken, especially chicken strips. He still enjoys those, but he's become a bit of an aficionado and only likes certain chicken strips. His favorite come from Cane's. He also really liked the chicken and waffles sliders from a local joint called Micky's Sliders, but they closed down just this week (so I guess we'll have to come up with someplace new for his birthday dinner).

In our look back, we see the Boy just before his first birthday at what was probably the time in his life in which he was most adventurous when trying new foods. Back when he first started enjoying solid foods, we could get him to at least TRY pretty much anything we were also eating. We can thank pasta and veggies for this fun little snap.

Wonder Boy has been learning to make all of his most favorite foods, including the carnitas pictured above. We all want to make sure he'll be able to fend for himself when he goes off to college!

Project 16 to 16: Day 1

It's here! It's here! My favorite photo project of the year!

I know I have been more than negligent about updating this blog, but it's time to dust it off again as we count down the days to Wonder Boy's 16th birthday!


On the left, you see Wonder Boy this morning. He was a bit rushed and didn't really want me to take his picture this morning. But it's picture day at school and even if I were not starting this project, he would have had to endure me and my camera. He knows it and accepts it even if he doesn't like it.

Wonder Boy is a few weeks into his sophomore year of high school. Every day he seems taller, more mature. He's been a bit stressed by the increased workload at school this year, but on the whole, I think he's off to a good start this fall.

Looking back (or at least to the photo on the right), we see that tiny little bundle of boy. Blue is still his favorite color to wear. And I can even find him crashed out on this couch from time to time.

I've said it before and I'll say it again here, I may miss holding that little warm newborn of ours, the smell of his hair after a bath, or even walking the room with him late at night begging him to go to sleep. But I would not turn back the clock to those days, even if I could. I wouldn't trade our bedtime reading or even watching him wolf down his favorite foods. But I do appreciate being able to reflect on these moments and remember the joy, the trials, and everything in between.