Dude is 17!!

I try to acknowledge the birth of my kids with an annual post because without them there wouldn’t be a blog.  I also would have had less grey hair.  And a lot more money.  No-one warned me about the amount of money I would need to spend on raising kids.  It’s the single biggest reason why people in their forties don’t own a sportscar.  Well that and the limited boot space.

But can you believe it, Dude turns 17 today!

He’s managed to retain all of his amazing qualities and grew of few more.  Now he is also handsome, funny, considerate and tall.  Just like me.  Except for being considerate because I’m a selfish bastard.

I can’t believe you’ve turned out the way you did in spite of me.  We all know who deserves the credit for shaping you into the astonishingly brilliant young man you have become…the secret is my hilarious jokes and debonair dress sense.

Nah I’m kidding, again…it’s Mom, it’s always been Mom.

She’s been pivotal in raising us three kids to become semi-decent, semi-productive and totally dependent semi-adults.

A few things did change in the last year…  You’ve become less interested in your PlayStation and more interested in girls.  You’ve learned how to make coffee and how to make your bed.  (Kinda.)  You actually seem to like your sister now and you dish out hugs like you’ve bought them in bulk.  You’re still a great friend with fundamentals as deep and strong as the foundation of the Bhur Khalifa.

You’ve become my biggest inspiration in the last few months because despite the odds, you never gave up, you never complained, you worked hard and showed brutal determination.  And it finally paid off and we couldn’t be more proud.

I can’t help but wipe a tear every time I look at you, thinking how grateful and blessed I am to be your Dad.  You have always been my favourite son, albeit the fact that you’re my only son…

Happy birthday Dude and remember you are awesome no matter what the Cosmopolitan quizzes might tell you.

We love you almost as much as you love chicken.