Collin is a teenager!

Collin turned 13 right before Christmas! I can't believe we have a teenager in the house, and neither can he. Here comes the rough years, or so I hear.

Urban Air

For his activity this year, he picked going to Urban Air again. This time Ryan picked up his friend Aidan, and they all had a great time. 

Since Aidan is also a growing teen, they went to MOD pizza afterwards, where they each ate their own entire pizza. 

Aidan got him this crazy Rubik's cube, and unlike all the 3 crazy ones Santa got him, he has still not solved this one (as of Jan 13th). Go Aidan!

21st

This year for his birthday, I took him to Walmart to spend the gift card he got from Aidan, but in his own words "everything I love is either $300 or free online" so it was an epic failure. Afterwards, I took him to Chick-fila - just the two of us - for lunch, and I think he enjoyed that more than the shopping. 

His dinner pick was carne asada tacos, and his cake was chocolate mousse pie. 

For the evening activity, he had requested that everyone stay home together and play a game. Isn't that sweet? In reality, he opened his new Raspberry Pi and decided he'd rather play with that all evening. 

***

Ahh, here comes the teen years! I love this man to pieces, but every once in a while, he forgets he loves me too. It's not pretty, and I hope we can keep those moments as few and as far between as possible. I can see his emotions ruling him more and more, and his armpits are definitely ruling out any doubt that puberty is on its way. 

Over the Break, the ortho officially cleared him to get his second round of braces, expanders and springs, so I need to get those appointments rolling. It's gonna be rough, but then it'll be done, or so I keep telling him. The good news was that the ortho no longer thinks we need to immediately remove his wisdom teeth, so we can hold off on that until he's a bit older. 

Collin is a master computer programmer, tech specialist, Rubik's cube solving (he's got 8 now!), piano performer. He played at both Ethan's baptism (duet with Nana and Ryan on violin) and in the sacrament meeting Christmas program (with Ryan on violin). He doesn't get ruffled at all, and he's not sure why others get nervous about things. The kids in his computer class at school have nicknamed him "the hacker," and he's quite proud of it. He loves the new 3D printer from Papa, and he's enjoying creating little toys with it. 

He is still excelling in school, always getting straight As. He's spent a lot of this school year alone, since I take the other three with me to the elementary school to teach every day. I've missed him, and he and Brennan are counting the days until they are both at the middle school together (in the fall). 

Collin has been the deacon's quorum president in our ward this year. With only 3 total deacons, he has to recruit older young men, the missionaries, and fathers to help them pass each week. Since Ryan was called to the Bishopric, he has also been counting the sacrament meeting attendance each week too. He's looking forward to being a member of the teacher's quorum and handing off that responsibility, I assure you, and he has never complained, and all the old ladies text me and tell me how much they love seeing him fulfilling his priesthood responsibilities. He bears his testimony in sacrament meeting from time to time, and he's given his fair share of youth sacrament meeting talks as well. 

He is super into EDM, wordless techno remixed music. He hates songs with words, and he DJs all our car rides. I'm getting a little sick of it, but I guess it's better than other types of music. He has one of Ryan's old phones that he uses as an iPod to listen to music on the bus, which has been our solution to all the bus problems we were experiencing last year (swearing, dirty language, throwing paper, etc.). He still hates riding the bus, but he suffers in silence, and I appreciate that. 

And that's our sweet 13yo Collin. 

Happy birthday, Tall-Tall!