Parker is a teenager!! That's right, our sweet little guy is 13 and not so little anymore. And yet, he's still the same loving, curious, energetic, and incredibly empathetic kid he's always been. On his birthday, Parker had a soccer game in the morning and also went to a trampoline park. Per his request, we had tortellini soup and Caesar salad for dinner and a trip to Menchies for dessert. And here's a bit more about thirteen-year-old Parker. He...
- had a great 7th grade year at Hamilton International Middle School (HIMS). He got great grades, made new friends, took his first year of Spanish, navigated middle school lunchroom antics, and rode the bus to and from school each day. All in all, a successful year!
- made his school's JV soccer team, which is no small feat at a school of 1000+ kids. In true Parker style, he ran the mile from school to the soccer field most days, eager to be the first one there. Apparently, the coaches started placing bets on whether Parker would beat them there or not each day. Ha!
- is doing another year of Seattle United soccer and thrilled with the premier team he made. We're excited for him, but not quite as excited that it will mean three nights a week of practice instead of two.
- really enjoys golf, especially with his papa, and seems to be pretty good at it.
- participated in his school's ski bus this year and mostly enjoyed it. The bus departed after school on Fridays and got back at about 10:30pm, which were pretty late nights for Parker. Not sure if he'll choose to do ski bus again, but he's gotten to be a much better skier. He has surpassed his mama's skiing abilities, not that that was terribly difficult to do, but still.
- has also surpassed his mama in shoe size and nearly reached her height!
- still prefers being with his family more than anyone else. It's been fun to see him develop other friendships, though, and be more independent.
- has displayed a bit of teenage attitude at times, but he also says clever things and can be fun to joke around with. He's still learning to read the room and know his audience when telling jokes because things his middle school friends think are funny aren't always as well received by his parents.
- can still be a bit scatterbrained and disorganized, but also tries really hard and actually loves to have everything in its place.
- has many favorite sports teams, including the Chicago Bears, Portland Trailblazers, FC Barcelona, Seattle Sounders FC, Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Guardians, Seattle Seahawks, and the Argentina national football (soccer) team. Phew!
- still loves the color orange and can be seen dressed in it from head to toe at times.
- has developed the appetite of a teenager and seems to always be hungry! Most vegetables aren't his favorite, but he does like carrots (because they're orange?) and seems to be a bottomless pit when it comes to pasta and bread.
- says his favorite foods are chocolate, pasta, and bread. And his least favorites are squash, mushrooms, and olives.
- still wants to be tucked in at night and frequently asks for back scratches and massages.
- still gives the most amazing hugs.
