Dear Liam,
Happy 17th my sweet young man. Although I think we say this every year, this was a BIG year for you. You took new risks like walking into The Village Market and asking for a job and overcoming your nerves to join the theater program and work on tech. Both of these, along with all the learning you have done to be able to build mods in video games and code new virtual worlds where you and your friends play into the late hours, have given you a new confidence that makes me so proud. We don’t build that confidence by avoiding challenges but instead it comes from facing your fears head on and leaning into opportunities to grow.
I keep thinking about conversations I used to have with Aunt Steph when you were a newborn. A couple times a week while I was on maternity leave, we would meet in the flatirons at some ungodly hour to hike and support each other through the challenges of a collective 4 kids under 3. I remember telling her that I could see your future really clearly; that you were going to be an independent, kind soul. I told her I didn’t see you doing team sports but being more of the rock climber sort- off doing your own thing that brings you joy. I definitely got the rock climbing part wrong, but I can see now that so much of who you are now is who you have always been: loving, feeling, kind, independent, funny and joyful. Definitely not a rock climber but finding your own path to joy.
This year you asked us to have the school test you for dyslexia. As a result, you advocated yourself into a strategies class that has helped you find your feet solidly on the ground academically. Every single one of your teachers reports you are a ‘joy to have in class’ and Mrs. Blaire, one of the toughest teachers at HHS loves you so much she asked if I could clone you so she could have a class full of Liams. No kidding; she said that! Then she promptly suggested you take an AP science class next year because she knows you could handle it. You’re killing it, kid!
I love our quiet mornings together. I love it when I am brewing coffee and can hear you rustling around upstairs. I know that soon you will sneak down quietly so we can sit at the counter and you can tell me all about your friends and how they are doing with whatever challenges they face, your mods and whatever coding challenge you face (TBH, I rarely understand much but I sure try) and check on me and the challenges I face. You are up in your room most of the time hanging out with friends but over the last few months you have started inviting them over to hang out IRL more and more. I love this for you. You are finding your own path to joy.
Happy birthday, Liam. It has been the biggest privilege to be your mom. Mrs. Blaire is right- we need more Liams in the world.
I love you and happy birthday!
Love,
Mom(my)
(I literally just heard you start to wake up upstairs so I gotta go get the coffee going!)