I have known for the past two years or so that my son had officially become a tween. Some of the first signs included a tendency to become “mouthy” and argumentative at times, as well as the need to faithfully apply deodorant each morning. Of course, he possess all of the “tools” required of male tweens and teens today-iPOD, XBox 360, cell phone (just acquired in the last six weeks) and a vocabulary that includes verbage from the rap culture. (What?) In just a few short weeks, my almost-twelve-year-old-tween has become a teen, even though the “magic 13” is over one year away. Here are some of the clues that this morphism has occurred:
1. The bathroom of my son now includes products such as AXE shampoo and body wash (what happened to Johnson’s No More Tears?), Purpose Gentle Cleansing Face Wash, Clearasil Cleansing Pads and hair styling gel.
2. I have been informed by afore mentioned boy/man that the tags in his clothing must read Aeropostale, American Eagle and Under Armour. It is still okay to wear college and pro sports athletic shirts, so his Penn State and Pittsburgh Steelers apparel is safe-for now!
3. This past week it was necessary to replace his worn out Nike sneakers for a new pair. Since the beginning of the school year, his once youth-sized feet have grown into a men’s size 8 1/2, along with a man-sized price of $50.00. Cha-ching!
4. My once always-pays-attention, never-forgets-books-or-papers child is forever forgetting to bring home the items necessary for homework completion. In a flabbergasted moment, I asked, “What is going on with you?” His reply-“I am too busy talking!” This from a child once so shy that he spent his entire Kindergarten year (sans the last three weeks) standing by himself on the playground at recess. My sort of socially awkward child is now a social butterfly. Go figure!
5. Just this past week, Junior climbed in the car for a ride to the bus stop and informed me that if I got up close to him, I could REALLY smell his AXE bodyspray because he had doubled his usual amount. (I had to stifle my smile/giggle.) I am sure that some sort of expensive manly-man cologne is next……
These are just a few of the signs that times they are a-changin in our household, and there is no turning back now. Junior’s once dormant hormones had been awakened and even Ambien won’t be able to lull them back to sleep. Lord help me!
Joan's Jottings 
Nick was measured at the doc’s this week: 5’4″ and 122 lbs. He’ll never be smaller than I am again. I was shocked almost to tears to hear it from the nurse even though I had seen it with my own eyes every day for months. btw we banned Axe after I convinced Nick of the sexual overtones in the little “messages” on each container….take a look!
With the privilege to be his ‘coach’, I am seeing him blossom into a fine young man, with more confidence and more smiles. And the Axe spray has worn off by 7:00pm and left nothing offensive in its place… That said, these changes in all our boys are happening freakishly quick, and it is the sense that “we ain’t seen nuthin’ yet” that leaves me feeling the slippery slope!
Don’t worry, Nan. The girls are not guaranteed. I heard that a guy in India sued the makers of Axe because the girl-attracting properties did not work. He made a pass at his cleaning lady and she chased him with a broom! 🙂 Vik smells better with Axe than without so I buy it for him. Another friend says her boy wants to use it instead of a shower. I never had brothers so these creatures are a mystery to me.