Happy Birthday, my favorite son.

I play favorites with my kids, regularly telling each, "you're my favorite daughter" and "you're my favorite son." This always draws an eyeroll since we have just one daughter and one son. But that's the point. Each knows they're equally special, equally well loved, and equally unique.

Today is our son's 17th birthday. He's weathered quite a few storms for someone so young, but he's coming through with a quiet reserve and kind heart. He chose Luigi's for his birthday dinner tonight (they make a white cheese-and-garlic-sauce pizza off the menu for him) and a Carvel icecream cake to go with the candles. T is taking Marta to work so the teen can drive to school on his special day. So it's all good.

Happy Birthday. I'm so very blessed to be your mom.

Happy Birthday, AG

Monday, the tween turns 12, ushering in her last year of tweendom. Despite dire warnings and anecdotes by legions of friends and family and "experts" to the contrary, the tween years have been as endearing as the toddler and primary periods. Yes, there are emotional tides, but overall, these years are more about discovery and awakening independence as well as every-night cuddles before bedtime and enlightening conversations driving to and from school.

Thank goodness AG and her friends still consider birthday parties a totally cool thing to do. She scripted her 12th event carefully: dinner at El Azteca in Dunwoody Village, the walk to Bruster's afterward substituted for a drive to Carvel due to the rain, lots of screaming and dancing in the rec room, up past midnight, and homemade waffles and fresh fruit for breakfast. Guys were present for the front end; several of the girls stayed afterward for a sleepover. The cast included many new friends from PCMS as our girl expands her social horizons.

Wonderful kids. So thoughtful and well mannered with me and so completely unhinged with each other. I heard them dancing to Thriller and strumming with Guitar Hero; when I did one of my frequent walk-throughs, they barely noticed me as they continued board games and chatting ad infinitum. Yes, the rec room is completely wrecked. Yes, they're all hoarse from the screaming. Yes, we're all very, very, very sleepy this morning.

Well worth it.