Protective

Cody never ceases to amaze me. He's a great kid. He's a teenager... don't get me wrong, sometimes he makes me want to bang my own head against the wall in hopes of seeing what he sees as logic, but overall, excellent human being. I should know. I helped God make him that way. ;)

But a few days ago, when we were at the mall getting our pictures done, he just took the cake. Let me give you a taste of the big story first... an aperitif, if you will.

About a month ago, he went with me to Walmart to do a little shopping. I chose to use the stroller that day, since it was super cold and I didn't want little hands all over shopping carts. We'd finished our shopping, and Cody was holding our bags while I pushed the stroller to the exit. I turned to him and said, "Want to wait here while I go get the car?" He shook his head and said, "Mom, go." Ohhhhkay... so onward I went. As we made it to the car, he said, "Sorry, but there were a couple of guys back there that looked kinda weird. I didn't want the kids around them." Oh, my. My instincts have clearly fallen asleep or been passed to a new generation.

Fast forward to picture day at 5th Avenue Mall: We'd done our sitting, and I had promised Cody dinner and a game from Game Stop. We ate, I was sluggish because I'd made a bad food choice, and wanted to go home, but darnit, I promised Cody his game... and off to Game Stop on the first floor we went. As we exited the elevator, Cody said, "I just want to get my game and get out of here. I don't like being here with the twins." I was taken aback, and asked, incredulously, "They embarrass you??" He shook his head and said, "No, I love being out with them. Girls look at me twice as much! I just don't like them around all these people. I feel like I can't protect them well here."

And in that moment, I knew he was ALL my son. My bodyguard career has been passed down. :)