Homerun on Cuteness

BK and girlfriend celebrated their 1 year anniversary in August. BK’s a bit of a loser when it comes to doing “special” things for special occasions… for example, he really didn’t like the gift he bought her for Christmas (and he was right – he was being a cheapskate), so he just didn’t give it to her.

Until about 3 weeks later.

Waiting until the right MOMENT, you know…

On Valentine’s Day, his mother dragged him by the hand (let me tell you, that’s embarassing when you’re 16!) into the store to buy something cute and some Hershey Kisses and flowers.

6 month anniversary (only important in year one, you know…), a mix CD happened along with a necklace (purchased by the mom, natch). At least the CD required thought.

Birthday gift was purchased (after a bit of badgering) by you know who. Gee, I wonder if he ever paid me back for that.

So I didn’t have any real hopes that things would change for this occasion. Being a girl myself, though, I know how important an anniversary is – especially when you’re young, dating, and it’s been A WHOLE YEAR! So off we go.

Being a supportive mom and trying my best to instill thoughtfulness into my son, I took him shopping. After many, many jewelry shops and a readjustment of pricing reality, he chose a very nice heart shaped necklace with a few little diamonds and the word “Love” in it. You’ve seen them. While I wouldn’t wear something like that, I agreed that it was probably perfect for a 16 year old girlfriend. So he dug out his $$ and bought it along with a nice chain for it.
He also took her out to a nice dinner. Points scored.

Until…. Ms. Homerun in Cuteness strikes. Whenever I think she’s maxed out on the cuteness factors (she made him a hockey monkey at Build a Bear for last Christmas - freakin' darling!), she ratchets it up a notch. Get this:

She sends him on a scavenger hunt of sorts. He gets a clue in an envelope telling him where his next clue is. There are ten in all. #1 starts at her house and sends him somewhere else special to them. Also included in card #1 are 10 reasons why she loves him. (I know, but try to remember being 16 and in love…)

He travels to various places, Starbucks, Blockbuster, etc. and picks up cards telling him where to go next, and including more reasons why she loves him (9 reasons, then 8, then 7… you get the drift).

Near the end of the hunt she sends him to the community center where they met playing roller hockey. After finding things various places, including their favorite – a Dr. Pepper, the last clue sends him to the faceoff circle where he will find his present. Guess what it was. Or guess WHO it was. Yep – can’t put anything over on you! There she was, all cute and stuff waiting for him. Along with the very last of the reasons she loves him. (oh yeah – and a coupon book she made full of stuff he can redeem – backrubs, skating, bowling, all that kinda stuff.) (Oh yeah – and a nicely framed picture of the two of them.) GAHHH.

How can a mom compete with that kind of cuteness? Clearly the boy cannot come up with ideas on his own to use cuteness to his advantage, nor is he inclined to ask his friends for ideas, so geeeez it’s kinda up to me. And let me tell you, I long for the days when the kid just called up the other kid and asked her/him to go to the dance. Alas, they are truly no longer here.

But the worst part about it was that this was one of the ideas I gave him last year for asking her to the homecoming dance. I even suggested that maybe that would be especially good for the prom. Now we gotta come up with something new.

Bah.

and yet... HELP!