Andrew's 14!

Andrew turned 14 the beginning of this month.  I think he's grown at least half a foot in the last year.  He's not quite as tall as me yet but he's getting close and it's strange to look at him at eye level now instead of looking down at him.  He's a teenager in every way now and although he has his moments he is such a great kid that I feel privileged to be his mom.  After school I took him to pick up his birthday present.  He had outgrown his bike a while ago so we got him a new mountain bike.

He headed out for a bike ride with Jason after we got home.  It's usually really nice weather for his birthday but this year snowflakes were falling as they left for their bike ride.  We tried to buy the bike big so it would last for a while but I was surprised how well it fit him now.  If he keeps growing this quickly he might need another one next year!

At 14 lighting the candles on the cake is much more exciting than blowing them out!

The day after his birthday we left for St. George for the marathon.  Jason threw his and Andrew's bikes on the bike rack so they could try out some trails there.  It was tough to find much time between the race and our church conference that was going on that weekend but they got in a couple of rides with some beautiful scenery.  Andrew's gotten to be a great mountain biker and loves to try new trails.

In our church boys can be ordained to the office of a teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood when they turn 14.  We enjoyed having several family members there to support Andrew in this step in his life.  I'm so proud of him for the decisions he's making and the young man he has become.

Yes, he's as tall as Grandma now and if I wasn't wearing my highest heels in this picture, he's getting pretty close to me too.

Here's a look at Andrew at 14.

What he likes: Legos, running, Minecraft, piano (most of the time), playing with his little brother Skyler, getting straight A's in school, mountain biking, scouts, waking up early, backpacking with his Dad, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings books and movies, pizza, pasta, and Skittles.

What he doesn't like: mowing the lawn, vegetables, rice, trying new foods (yes, he is as picky as ever), practicing the piano (sometimes), cleaning the bathroom, and getting his hair cut.

What I love about Andrew: his happy outgoing personality, his enthusiasm about everything, he's hardworking and a great student, he's fun to run and bike with, his smile and dimples are still adorable, he's a great helper around the house, he is so cute with his baby brother and a great babysitter for me.

I couldn't ask for a nicer 14 year old!