Sixteen Candles

Family and friends gathered to celebrate My son's 16th birthday. After downloading the photos to the pc, it dawned on me that no pictures were taken of me with my son. My sister Maureen was the first to see my 9 pound 2 ounce bundle of love. So, with that in mind it seemed fitting that she'd be next to him as he blew out his candles and made a wish. For the record, I managed to sing "Happy Birthday" without falling apart and becoming a sobbing mess. Hooray for small miracles.

Earlier that day we had to head out to his high school to register for his sophomore year. Weird! It conjured up memories of my own 16th birthday. I, too, was registering for school. My junior year. Unlike Mancub, after getting my student ID photo taken, my sister Mary and I drove to the Illinois equivalent of the DMV. We don't call it the DMV here. Anyway, I got my driver's license ON my sweet 16. My son is slotted to take driver's education first semester. EEP! Valium may be required.

It's a good thing I have a son rather than a daughter.  Planning a simple gathering was difficult enough for me. There's no way I could have ever pulled off a princess like sweet 16 birthday bash.  My family did arrange one for me on the weekend that followed my sixteenth birthday.  It was good, wholesome fun for me.  Nearly all of my siblings were present. They invited friends. The house was filled with song and laughter.  I didn't get a smooch on that evening but I would later learn how one particular boy who was present plotted to get me alone to give me a kiss. It would have been my first kiss.  His chance would come and go but he'd eventually redeem himself.  Swoon. That's a story for another time.