It’s crazy to think Avery turned seventeen this year and has less than a year until he’s an adult. I feel like we were just bringing our first-born home from the hospital not so long ago. At seventeen, this kid makes us so proud. He is such a hard worker and really pushes himself academically. He’s a great teammate, and participated in cross country, swim team, and track this year. He’s got lots of great friends who we also enjoy having over, and he helps us with errands and driving his siblings around. Avery is also great to talk to and is known for writing the sweetest things in cards. Senior year is going to be a whirlwind, but we intend to soak up every minute of it before this boy spreads his wings and flies!

With Erika

An All Blacks jersey from Nana
 

Doing one of his favorite things

We celebrated with a party/sleepover with a few of Avery’s closest buddies

Lucas, Eli, Taylor, Dalton, Jones, Avery, Preston, Ethan, Parker, Ronnie, Crosby, Jacob, & Dallen

Last night as a sixteen year old

Avery celebrated a milestone birthday this year. He turned 16 and celebrated by getting his driver’s license that morning and driving to school.

At sixteen, Avery is hardworking, driven, a self-starter, and an all around good kid. He loves running, swimming and playing piano. His favorite class at school is cybersecurity and he’s also interested in sports medicine. We’re so proud of you, Avery. Happy 16th!

Boiled chocolate cake for the birthday boy

Avery drove himself to school after getting his license

Jonathan had to use the car after that. He snapped this pic of Avery walking into school with his new bag.
      

We celebrated with a party and invited a few of Avery’s friends.

Avery turned 15  this year. It’s hard to believe we have a child so old! At 15, Avery is such a fun kid. He’s a great student, a dedicated athlete, a super teammate and friend, and a wonderful son. He puts so much effort into everything he does, and we are so proud of him.

We celebrated with a birthday sleepover. We ordered pad thai and the boys stayed up late playing basketball, ping pong, foosball, and watching movies and playing video games.

Kieron had Seth over and they hung out away from the teenagers

Birthday morning crepes

Ice cream cake
      

Avery turned 14 this year. The date coincided with his first day back at school in-person! At fourteen, Avery is still such a sweet, easy-going kid. He’s easy to talk to and cares a lot about people. Responsible, dependable, and disciplined, he is pretty steadfast.

I felt so bad about Avery’s thirteenth birthday – you know, the big one, the “you’re a teenager now” birthday. His party initially got postponed and then it just never happened. Things were so up and down with the virus and during the summer we were on the water and playing outside so much it just flew by. This year we decided to throw another garage party since Silas’ was such a hit. They ate junk food, had an epic ping pong tournament, and talked and talked. The party ended up lasting way longer than we planned, which was great! We could tell everyone was just happy to be together.

A new iPhone!

Cinnamon rolls for breakfast

Enchiladas for dinner, per his request

For his birthday, we threw a party in our garage.

There was a ping pong tournament

Homemade ice cream cake!

Only during Covid do we blow out candles with a leaf blower

Layla kept busy during the party making a card for Avery

Lucas, Avery, Logan, Dalton, Hayden, Dylan & Seldon

It got cold so we heated things up

We have a quaranteenager in the house now! Avery celebrated his thirteenth birthday at the end of March. Shortly after we planned his party and sent out invitations the country started shutting down and it looked increasing likely we might have to postpone. He had planned a “fancy” pizza party at the golf club for a dozen of his nearest and dearest. We waited, held our breath, and prepared Avery for bad news. On March 16 the governor closed all restaurants and bars throughout the state and expanded social gathering limits. Thank you, Jay Inslee, for making the call and getting Mom and Dad off the hook!

Avery is such a trooper. He took it in stride, and if he was disappointed, he didn’t show it. We celebrated his birthday with surprise Easter buns for breakfast. (Currants are very hard to come by these days, but we managed.) Instead of cake he wanted ice cream, and requested to have it at every meal. Our vegetarian health nut got what he asked for.

In the afternoon we had a repeat of Avery’s twelfth birthday and went to the Fisher Creek bike park where we let the kids ride around on bikes. He heard from a number of friends on his birthday which made him feel special.

At thirteen, Avery is sweet, smart, responsible, steadfast, a serious student and a goofy son. He loves his siblings, being outdoors, being active, and is always impressing us with what a genuinely good kid he is. It is so fun being his parents! Happy birthday, Avery Liam. We love you!

Easter buns!

Birthday spanks

Salad for lunch

Riding back home

Watching parkour videos on YouTube

He’s only 1/2″ shorter than me now! (And his voice is dropping!)

Next to the clock at 9:01 AM, the time of  his birth.