Yesterday I officially became the mom of a teenager! My first baby turned 13! Yikes, I can barely believe it!
I'm telling you, as soon as he started junior high, he changed. Its like starting junior high immediately turns you into a teenager!
I mean look, this is the day he started school....
And this is last night, on his birthday!
I'm learning real quick what its like to have a teenager. He's definitely giving me a run for my money right now. More mouthy, and the things this kid learns from school, makes me want to home school him until high school!
He's still my sweet boy, that holds the door for everyone, and loves his Jaxson more than anything. He's just trying to figure out who he is, and all these changes that come with growing up.
For his birthday, he got a gigantic lego ship.
Getting started, with all the pieces....
And the finished ship.
Last night we went to dinner for his birthday. About halfway through our dinner, a mother and son were seated next to us. Everytime I suctioned Jax, they would do the eye rolling, and say "that is so gross". It took everything I had not to lay into these people. I wasn't going to ruin Mondo's dinner. I made it out of the restaurant, barely, but the rudeness of these people continued to bug me. I'm not sure if there is a right way to handle it, everyone has their own opinions. Some people say I should have talked to them after the boys had walked away. Some people are more like me and wanted to give them a piece of their minds.
You know, if someone comes up to me and asks about Jax, I'm more than happy to explain everything. Even if a child, so innocently says, "whats wrong with him" I am polite, and it doesn't bother me at all. But what has happened to human decency? Its not that they are uneducated about trachs, its that they are just plain nasty. Any person would know that he can't help it, and its not fun, some people just choose to be rude. I have no desire to try and educate them, because the next time they'll just do it again. Maybe I'm wrong, but thats just how I feel. I don't have time for people like this. Fortunately, this is the first time I've encountered it, and hopefully the last!
The main thing is, it didn't ruin Mondo's birthday.
Happy Happy 13th birthday to my oldest baby! I love you!
1 month ago
14 comments:
WOW. He has really matured this year...watch out mom! I have a girl going into junior high next year and the eye rolling has already begun so I feel your pain. AND I too considered home schooling her because of what she is learning. Oh lord help us both.
And I'm glad you ingnored the rude people. They were not worth the energy.
Glad you were able to enjoy time as a family for his birthday, sorry about the rude people. I agree with you, we don't have time for people like that. There are some people who are just beyond being able to educate, they just need help, and its not our job to give it.
Look at how much he's grown!
I'm glad you didn't let the rude people ruin his dinner. It's too bad that people act like that :(
Dear Lacey,
I apologize for my long comment... I'm also a reader of Jax's blog, and often think about him and I feel for special needs children. Just wanted to comment on what you said about people staring and being "wordlessly rude". My husband is also special needs, blind and when we walk together, we always take the white cane, otherwise people would bump into him in the crowd (not noticing that he cannot see), and anyway it gives him some security, and that is all that matters to me too. But these empty "whatisthere...." stares also make me angry sometimes... We do not live in the US, but in another Western European country, where we are foreigners ourselves too. Sometimes children stare (when they see the cane, they scan him from top to bottom and back...), and I feel that their parents just do not explain about blindness or disabilities to them, but stare just the same instead. And on top of that it is usually only the older people who hand their seats over on the bus and train, children and up to middle aged people do not move when seeing a blind person, just stare at him or her... I really do not know what is wrong with these people, perhaps they would really need a first hand experience with a disability before they had some compassion. It is sad, I do not know how it could be changed, but pray that some eyes might open up some day. Perhaps it is public education where special needs should be discussed more thorouhly (to everyone), because maybe many people with "perfect lives" may not have a wide enough view of the world to perceive anything out of the ordinary... Perhaps the key word would really be compassion, but that would also need to be learned.
God bless you,
Zsofia
Happy birthday, Mondo!! What a change in him from the beginning of the year! Love it!
I'm so sad about that rude family. Glad it didn't affect Mondo's night out, but wow, I wish there was some subtle way to teach them a lesson in kindness, understanding, civility, you name it... Blah.
Lacey, you have way more self restraint than I! I not only would have given them dirty looks back, but I know I would have said something like "Can I help you?" or "What are you looking at?", counterproductive I'm sure, I've found that even chidren staring gets to me! I have NO patience for that. None. OK, how handsome is Mondo?!?! Normally I'm not a fan of longer hair on boys, but he just couldn't be any cuter!!! He really does look like a young man now!! It's amazing how much they can change in so little time!! Happy Birthday Mondo!!
Nicely put. Mondo is more important then them. I too will answer anyones question anytime. Its the stares like we are a freak show that bother me.
But honestly I am here if ya need me to take them out. Just sayin.
Oh -- Happy 13 MONDO!!!!!!!!!
Wow did he grow up into a teenager!! My oldest baby is now 16 and 6'2". The time just flies. As for the rude people I have come to the conclusion that most people will never really get it until they experience something themselves. Our world has lost caring and compassion and it's sad.
You are a good mama and he will always pick the "right" road... He just needs to make you crazy a bit :-)
Happy Birthday Mondo!!!
It's amazing how fast they grow up.....our 15 year old just started driver's training this week! I am freaking out and still in denial that he is this old already!
Great job keeping your cool at the restaurant! Although, that lady probably could have used a lesson in tactfulness and kindness! Some people are so rude! HUGS!!!
While I understand that being seated next to someone whose trach needs suctioning is distasteful for those who aren't used to such things, why didn't the rude people just ask their server if they could move to a different table, if it bothered them so? Why did they feel the need to stay where they were, just to have the opportunity to be obnoxious? Was it that important to them to send the message that Jaxson, because of his medical conditions, was "unwelcome" in public-- at least in THEIR judgment?
But good on you for ignoring them! They might have been trying to embarrass you into leaving the restaurant. By standing your ground, you thwarted them better than anything you might have said could have.
It is SO crazy how boys change so fast at that age!!! From babies to men overnight it seems. I hate it and love it at the same time.
Those comments in the restaurant would have had me flipping out!!!! I am like you, I am happy (usually;-) to explain if I am asked, but I would not like those comments about your precious baby boy!!
ok, I am sooo behind, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY Mondo!
And the rude people...I'm glad you just ignored them.
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