Happy 17th Birthday, Lewie!

Earlier this week, my "Little Lewie" turned 17! Gulp. I knew time was flying, but honestly, I didn't realize this year would bring such a dramatic shift — not just for him, but for all his friends who turned 17 as well.

For starters, all his friends not only started driving this year, but they also started driving back and forth to school in their own cars. By March, one friend had started working at a specialty grocery store called LaBonne's Market, and before the end of the summer, his other two friends joined him — one also securing a position at LaBonne's and the other working at a grocery store called Big Y. 

This past year, we were able to secure two "boys' trips," allowing Lewie to spend valuable time with his friends — one to Salem, MA, and one to Rehoboth Beach, DE. However, after these trips, Lewie's friends' work schedules took over. This meant no more sleepovers, night swimming in the pool, ice-cream stops at the local farm, amusement parks, or even boat tubing! Honestly, it was a real drag (at least, for me). Lewie still went to Lake Compounce with his cousins and got to celebrate his birthday with them, but I was heartbroken to see his friends growing up so fast. I thought we still had a year or two left for sleepovers!

This year, Lewie turned into a young man. Don't get me wrong--he's still super silly (just like his father), but all of a sudden, I noticed him needing me less and less. For starters, I didn't have to intervene with his schoolwork or teachers this year — in fact, he forbade me from contacting any of them. Instead of helping Lewie create flashcards, prep for exams, or contact teachers whose assignments seemed unclear, I sat on the sideline as my son advocated for himself. Initially, it was tough to give up control, but as he started pulling straight As and High Honors (even making the Math National Honor Society in April), I realized it was ridiculous for me to impose on his studies. (In fact, one of the reasons why I decided to go back to school myself is exactly because Lewie didn't need the same help from me anymore.)

He signed up for the ski team and boys' tennis again this year and requested a private tennis tutor to help him improve his game. (We're starting the tutor in two short days.) On September 5, he has a doctor's appointment scheduled to examine his lungs. On some days--not all--his left lung gives him pain or feels "small"--like it's not filling up with enough air. Lewie is typically fine playing matches with his friends, but during one actual game against a rival high school, he began to feel short of breath. Finding a pediatric pulmonologist and scheduling an appointment took months, which is the reason why we had to wait until after the summer to finally have a visit.

The boys on the tennis team!

Two milestones for Lewie this summer included attending his final year at ID Tech Camp and getting his driver's permit. For ID Tech Camp this year, he completed Game Design and Development 101 with Unreal Engine. His transcript says that in completing his last class, he demonstrated proficiency in the following areas:

• Designing a successful game project
• Making gameplay Blueprints
• Creating pickups and collectibles
• Building a room using brushes
• Painting landscapes
• Creating a platformer game
• Designing a custom level
• Creating a health system
• Playtesting a game
• Implementing and providing feedback
• Adding checkpoints and respawns
• Adding materials to a custom model
• 3D modeling a prop from a reference
• Adding a particle system
• Adding a sprinting system
• Adding foliage
• Changing the properties of a light
• Creating 3D models using basic shapes
• Creating a game design document
• Creating player health UI

Lewie's Coffee Game

Lewie created a coffee shop simulation. The goal of the game is to serve coffee to customers as quickly as possible. The player can drink coffee to become quicker, but this, in turn, will make them "jittery." Thus, it becomes hard for the player to hold the coffee without dropping it! He was so proud to show me how he coded the "jitteriness" into the system, as well as what happens when players spill the coffee. He had to find or create his own props, too, including a coffee maker, creamer, and the like. On the second day of camp, Lewie told me his camp counselors said he codes better than they do!

Technically, Lewie can attend ID Tech Camp again next year. He doesn't "age out" until 18, but he's taken most of their courses, and at this stage of the game, he's typically the oldest "camper" in his class. In fact, this year, he felt like he had more in common with the college kids teaching him than his classmates. On the last day, I urged Lewie to find out where his camp counselors attend college, and then I even asked a few of them myself. I also inquired about Lewie becoming a camp counselor — he would be too young next year, but it might be a possibility for him the following year.

Just a week ago, Lewie passed his driver's permit test. My patient boy waited until I could sort out our finances. Truthfully, I had wanted him to begin driving lessons and tennis lessons earlier in the summer, but I couldn't make it work, especially since I lost the revenue from a summer class I used to teach. Sure, we could have cancelled our summer trip to Rehoboth to pay for these things, but in my mind, the trip was more important. Our goal is to spend the entire year helping Lewie master the art of driving. There's no rush. Our high school is only ten minutes away, and if he doesn't get there by bus, he can always rely on Grammy to bring him or pick him up.

On Lewie's birthday, I always interview him to see how much he has changed from one year to the next. This year, Lewie happily agreed to participate, even being a bit gabby. (He has become quite the conversationalist this year.) Some of the questions seemed a little infantile, but I asked them anyway. I might stop when he turns eighteen. I'll see how I feel about it next year.

Q:  What is your favorite color?
A:  "It's actually a mix of colors. The four I really like are purple, green, blue, and orange. There's something just so appealing to using these four colors. They inspire me." (I should mention here that Lewie loves graphic design. He will be taking this class for his third year in a row. He loves shapes, colors, images, fonts, and more, and he's incredibly talented! In fact, our school superintendent asked Lewie to create a new logo for our school system. He loved it so much that he gave Lewie a $50 gift card as a reward for his hard work.

Q:  What is your favorite thing to do at school?
A:  "Walk around the halls, sleep in chemistry, and socialize--I really enjoy talking to people." (Yes, Lewie said his chemistry teacher was so dull, he would often fall asleep during his lectures...I certainly didn't condone it, but I know kiddos his age have a hard time staying awake when they have to wake up at the crack of dawn.)

Q:  Who is your favorite teacher?
A:  "Ms. Jackman." He had Ms. Jackman for history during his first year of high school and wasn't sure about her teaching style. However, by the end of his freshman year, he had grown to love her because she not only had the students listening to the BBC but also answering engaging questions about social issues. This year, he's excited to have her for Sociology.

Q:  What is your favorite sport?
A:  "I like skiing, but the weather was consistently bad this year." (Yes, he was supposed to have Ski Club on Thursdays, but almost every Thursday, the weather either rained or sleeted with little to no snow.) "I like volleyball, and I would be on a team if we had one. Tennis is my favorite."

Q:  What is your favorite food?
A:  "French Toast."  Lewie was extremely excited this year because his favorite restaurant, Friendly's, started serving breakfast again. (They stopped offering a breakfast menu during COVID and never went back until now.) "I should get their French Toast recipe; I think their secret ingredient is crack cocaine." (Lewie makes this joke because Daddy Lew often makes it....) 

Q:  What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
A:  "Cookie Monster." This is a favorite flavor at a farm near us--Kris Farm. I was surprised by his response because I mostly know him to request chocolate or birthday cake flavors.

Q:  What is your favorite video game?
A:  "I think this year I had the most fun playing Deltarune."

Q:  What is your favorite book?
A:  Lewie enjoyed reading Farenheight 451 by Ray Bradbury in his English class this year. He chose We Were Dreamers by Simu Liu for his summer reading. As for his favorite book, he mentioned that he likes House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. He likes it because of its experimental writing, combining elements of design and word mazes on each page. He admits that he's only read a few pages — instead, he admires it more as a piece of art (since he's into graphic design).

Q:  What is your favorite cartoon?
A:  "'The Amazing World of Gumball.' Now I understand adult humor and the cultural references behind it."

Q:  What is your favorite movie?
A:  Lewie couldn't think of a favorite movie, so instead, he provided me with information about his favorite show. "It's Neon Genesis Evangelion. It's action fiction and provides a monumental breakthrough for culture. It combines experimental styles of art and design. It presents characters' past experiences in an interesting way. It's a great mental piece and uses references to religion. The sound design in the show is amazing! I don't really have my thoughts formulated to go deeper."

Q: What is your favorite place or vacation?
A:  "The Grand Canyon. Home is a favorite place for me with our pool. We didn't do a whole lot of traveling this year because of my lung."

Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?
A:  "Something to do with digital art and computers." He thinks he wants to choose a college that offers majors in Computer Science and Music and Sound Recording.

Q:  What is your favorite saying this year?
A:  Lewie likes to make a lot of sound effects. If I make a mistake or forget something important, he will wag his finger at me, shake his head, and say 'Tisk, Tisk'; however, it sounds like 'St, St, St, St.' Another way he teases us is by pretending he doesn't know what's going on. Example: Lewie, did you eat the last brownie?" "WHAAT?"  "Lewie, did you leave your dishes in the sink?" "WHAAT?" Daddy Lew says Lewie often calls him "Bro" as in "Bro, you need to listen to this!" Finally, Lewie often uses the word "Maybe" as a substitute for "No."  If I ask him if he wants to take a walk with me and he responds, "Maybe," he really means "Nope."

Q:  What was your favorite moment as a sixteen-year-old?
A:  "Just that I'm alive. After my lung collapse, I've gotten so much motivation. It's got me into caring about things more, such as practicing every day with music production, writing, arranging, and composing."

Lewie has definitely become more social this year; he's also become a deep thinker--asking me questions about politics, sociology, psychology, philosophy, and religion. We've had more than one discussion about the benefits and challenges of social media, AI, cryptocurrency, etc. I'm excited for him because he's starting to show the type of curiosity that extends beyond high school learning and even college — he's setting himself up to be a lifelong learner! 

Lewie is also an old soul — kind, hardworking, loyal, patient, and empathetic. He's grateful for the things he has, doesn't complain when we ask him to help us, and is super loving. When he leaves the room after any conversation, he's quick to say, "Love you."  He's the peacemaker in our house and among his friends with absolutely no drama. Can you tell I love this kid?

I'm excited for Lewie's junior year. This year, he'll be exploring colleges, practicing driving, taking tennis lessons, and working hard on his studies (with three AP classes)! At the same time, I hope we can schedule in some fun — maybe another boys' trip?   Whatever we do, I hope to savor the moment because his high school years are going by way too fast!

Rehoboth Beach with the Boys

Ever since our first trip to Rehoboth Beach, I secretly wanted to return during Lewie's teenage years. In my mind, it would be the perfect teen vacation, featuring the beach, the boardwalk, delicious food, bike rentals, a water park, miniature golf, and endless rows of shops. Then, once Lewie formed a group of friends during middle school, I knew the question of going on this trip wouldn't be "if," but "when."

After years of secretly planning it, I decided this year would be "the year." For one, Lewie is sixteen, and his friends are seventeen. Two, a few of his friends had already started working. I knew if I didn't plan it now, the following year (with college on the horizon) would be a bust!

On June 23, Daddy Lew and I entered our living room at 4 a.m. and woke up Lewie with his two friends. It was time for us to pack the large SUV and drive to Delaware. We didn't want to chance CT, NY, or NJ traffic, so we got an early start and luckily had a calm ride down. We stopped at a diner to eat and then at my aunt's house, which is located just under 40 minutes from Rehoboth. (She has a pool, which is a double plus!)

After visiting for a few hours, we hit the road again to find our condo--a cute three-bedroom rental located about two miles away from the beach. The apartment didn't have beach views, but it was conveniently located next to everything, which ended up being a lifesaver! Also, I loved the open floor plan. With the kitchen and living room being together, I could easily grab something to eat while watching the boys enjoy their time together. Between watching movies, sharing funny video clips, or simply hanging out, there was lots and lots of laughter. Of course, my husband also participated in a lot of the fun, especially watching the movies. 

Our week in Delaware was, unfortunately, a hot one--weather forecasters announced it would be the first heat wave of 2025, and they were right! The very next day (Tuesday), I woke up at 5 a.m. to take a walk through the cute neighborhood. (Rehoboth has such beautiful beach houses and lakes in addition to the shore!) However, when I stepped outside our apartment, I literally stepped into a 90-degree sauna. I took a bottle of water, but after an hour, I asked my husband to come rescue me as I sat under a pavilion trying to regain my energy. The weight of the air and the sun was exhausting! I knew then that I had to plan the next few days around the heat. 

Here are a few pictures from my morning walks.

On Tuesday, we decided to attend Rehoboth's water park, Jungle Jim's, but only in the late afternoon. On the following days, too, we'd stay inside the apartment until 4 or 5 p.m. before venturing out to go shopping, visit the boardwalk, or do any other activities. The heat was just too oppressive, and I didn't want to risk the boys getting burned, or worse, having heatstroke. They showed no interest in leaving early either. Instead, they'd sleep in until noon every day, have a late lunch, and watch movies.

We stayed until the park closed. I wanted to take a few shots of the lazy river
since it brings back such great memories.

After our day at Jungle Jim's water park, we spent the next day at Ocean City, Maryland. I, personally, had never been there, so I was more excited for this excursion than anyone. I paid for a boat ride to see the wild horses on Assateague Island and take in the coastal view of the boardwalk. Then, I planned for us to ride through Trimper's Haunted House together, where we sat in rolling coffins and were continuously spooked by Michael Myers. (I swear he'd show up behind me at every corner. I'm glad my heart is still ticking!)

After the Haunted House, I let the boys know they could use the rest of their time to explore. However, before we parted ways, Daddy Lew and Lewie's friend, Noah, decided they wanted to ride the Slingshot--a ride that catapults its victims into the air while spinning. In fact, the Jolly Roger Pier Amusements describes the ride this way: "The ultimate thrill ride will have even the biggest daredevils quaking. Strap in, hold on, and prepare to be shot high into the sky. You can hear the screams from 10 blocks away!"

While Hubby and Noah were quaking in their boots, my pocketbook was quaking in my arms. At $35 each, the Slingshot costs about the same as buying two tickets to enter our hometown amusement park for the day... In fact, after they were shot into the sky the first time, the person in charge of the ride asked if they wanted to go again for an additional $10 each. This time, he would show them what they needed to do to make the Slingshot spin... Did they say, yes? Absolutely, they did. Cha-ching! 

This is the picture from the Jolly Roger Pier Amusements website.

After the wild ride, the boys left us to explore the boardwalk, but not for long. After 40 minutes, they called to let us know they were already waiting by our car to go back to the apartment. Say what? Why? Their answer--it's too crowded and too expensive!

I'll admit I was a little bummed about our Ocean City visit. For one, the boat ride was advertised differently. The description made it sound like we would be going on a mini-ecotour where we could see the wild horses up close and learn about the island. Instead, our boat driver, probably only a few years older than the boys, pointed to a few dots in the background. "There they are... See, one of the horses is rolling on its back!" I could see it, but in less than 20 seconds, they were out of sight. The rest of the trip was a ride back and forth to the pier with country music blaring in the background. I finally intervened and asked if he could play some songs we liked — after all, I was paying for a private boat trip just for us! I was also bummed that the boys were so eager to leave. For me, I could have stayed at the boardwalk all night--visiting shops, people watching, buying ice cream, etc. My husband sided with the boys. "After you see the first 1/4 of the boardwalk, you've seen it all," he shrugged, "the boardwalk just repeats itself with the same corny shops." What could I do? I was outnumbered. I didn't think they were corny shops. I wanted to relive my youth. In fact, I chuckled to myself as I saw that some vendors still continue to sell hermit crabs. When I was thirteen, I bought one in Wildwood, NJ, to give to a friend.

On our last day before leaving to go home, we spent time at the outlets and then the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk. I wanted us to rent bikes during our stay (like I really, really, really wanted this to be part of our Rehoboth Beach experience), but the days were just too hot! I did have a chance to go to a few shops, and Hubby and I were able to sneak away to have a quick bite to eat, but admittedly, the time went by fast. In a flash, the trip was over, and it was time to drive home (which was more complicated than the ride to get there).

Noah got a henna tattoo. I didn't expect him to get a spider!

I left with mixed feelings about the trip. There were moments of pure joy, of course. For example, I LOVED going to Jungle Jim's, spending hours upon hours riding their lazy river and going on a waterslide with Hubby. I could tell the boys really loved Jungle Jim's, too. Seeing the boys in the living room laughing and spending quality time together was another highlight. Now that they are starting to work, and two of them will be seniors next year (not Lewie), I wondered how much time they will get like this again. 

Truly, my disappointment with the trip comes from my own perfectionist views. For more than ten years, I had built up this trip as a kind of fantasy — one where the boys spent every day riding bikes, frolicking on the beach, goofing off in the arcade, and just being teenagers on the boardwalk. I guess I was planning the type of nostalgic vacation I would have wanted back in the day... Don't get me wrong; the boys had a good time, but I don't think the boardwalk provided the same type of excitement for them as it had for me when I was a kid. 

On my last day at Rehoboth, I dragged my husband to the Zoltar machine. "Lew, we have to check it out! It's the same Zoltar machine from the movie Big (which is my favorite movie of all time)!"

I fed the Zoltar machine the only dollar I had and prepared to make a wish. Rain and wind started to pelt down on our heads. "Really?" I thought. It's been 100 all week, and now we have wind and rain!

Zoltar is more advanced now. Instead of producing a card, he speaks. His eyes turned red, his mouth started moving, and he said these lasting words: "Zoltar says, get your hands ready, and now move them to your pockets. Good. Now feed me another dollar." 

My wish, just like my fantasy for this trip, disappeared into the ether.