The face of 14...

This past Friday, my baby boy turned 14 years old!!!

This what 14 looks like:

14 year olds express themselves, sometimes in ways that might drive some parents crazy, but not me.  In this case, my kiddo is taking after me in some very distinct ways!  When I was his age, I began experimenting with doing artsy stuff to my clothing, including drawing on my jeans with Sharpies, and eventually learning to paint on fabric.  As you can see, he's started with Sharpies on his favorite hat!

14 year olds are capable of doing a lot for themselves.  He's taken the lead in learning to cook over the past year, and recently cooked spicy Italian sausage, and has been scrambling his own eggs.

14 year olds also like to try new things with their physical appearance.  He knows that I won't let him get tattooed or pierced as long as he lives at home, but I don't mind hair dye and funky hair styles.  Most things you can do to hair are reversible!  You can just barely tell, but he has a purple tint here.  His hair has gotten significantly darker over the past two years, so next time he wants to dye it, we'll have to bleach first.

One thing that he hasn't lost as he matures into a young man is his love of drawing comics.  He draws them frequently, and several times per day he says, "I should make a comic of that!"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JP!!!!