Happy Birthday Logan

Yesterday our eldest turned 14! It may sound trite to say this but it's absolutely true, it seems like just the other day when he was born. I thought that in honor of the day, I'd fill this post with a bit of Logan-lore, some from way back and some more recently.

He's always been verbally skilled. Even as a toddler before he learned to read, he easily memorised several of his favourite books, such as Dr Seuss favourites, without even trying. We would turn a page and he could recite exactly what was on it, even when it was very long.

He was our shy, retiring one when we were out in company. (Not around the house, of course). Once when he was very small and still our only child, I was having a haircut, and one of the shop girls offered to read to him. As usual, he stayed quiet as a mouse until he warmed up to her. She was telling him, "The cat called Pat is on the mat" and such stuff, when suddenly he pointed to part of the picture and remarked out of the blue, "That apartment building has a fire extinguisher next to it." I forget whether or not I've told this one before, but I like it.

I remember a funny episode of "Everybody Loves Raymond" when Ray's brother, Robert, remarked that he'd been their parent's "Practise Kid." Logan said he absolutely understands where he was coming from, and he has a point. He was the one who we sent to school, just to see if he'd take to it, and because of his patience he was there for over 3 years, although he says he hated it most of the time. And he was the one I'd panic over and whiz off to doctors in the emergency department for things which I never fretted over with Emma and Blake. He's still our trailblazer, as I find myself sometimes getting anxious about what'll become of him, as we've never homeschooled a teenager before.

At the moment, Logan has not much ambition. When people ask him what he wants to do when he finishes school, he shrugs and replies that he has no idea, which some people think is a source of angst. (Such as his grandparents, who all thought he was so promising and sharp and intelligent from the time we first had him.) He takes an interest in politics, sports and current affairs. He has a good memory for all sorts of trivia, including history and geography. He loves the electronic games. I'm expecting that his life path will open before him when he's meant to step on it, but it certainly makes the homeschool journey one of faith!

Yesterday we took him to one of the big city shopping centres to have lunch and browse in all the different game shops, as he couldn't think of anything he'd rather do on a hot summer's day. But before then, we had a bit of a drama at home. I'd brought in a roll of catalogues from the letter box and the boys decided to look at them together. Then I hear my big, brave 14 year old scream, "Get off the couch Blake, get off the couch!" Turns out he'd seen an enormous huntsman spider crawl out of one of the catalogues. They are harmless but big and ugly and do give you a shock. I came out to help search for it, armed with vacuum cleaner and one of Andrew's steel-capped boots. I couldn't find it but I admit I didn't look too hard. We left it until we got home from the shops, and then good old Dad discovered the monster, skulking behind some cushions. He used the cup and paper method to get it outside, which I'd never dream of doing with a beast of that calibre. As it was, Andrew had his leg scuttled over as he was releasing it. It gives me the heebie-jeebies just to think of accidentally carrying it in with the papers. And Logan has been very edgy with catalogues ever since. It seems I've raised a sensitive new aged guy instead of big tough hero. But as he keeps reminding me, it WAS big!