Happy Birthday, Beautiful Daughter

Today is my beautiful daughter's birthday. She is my firstborn. From the very day she was born, she was herself. Smart, headstrong, fearless, she could "work" a room, introducing herself and making friends. I remember one day that we were on a road trip and had made a pit stop at a "Friendly's" restaurant along the way. My kids went into their respective bathrooms, their father and I were standing outside. I could hear talking in there and as people came out, several asked "Is that your daughter? She introduced herself to me and told me all about you. She's something!" (Same thing happened for my son, by the way).

Yeah, she's something. When she was born I remember holding her and thinking that I never realized that I could love someone so much, so immediately. She was a large baby, 9lbs 2.5 oz. so she walked at 8 months. Yes. She was on her way. And it was my role as her mother to teach her everything in the world. So, when we were in the car, I'd point out trucks, trees, buildings, animals to her. I knew that I had gone overboard when one day as I yelled out "firetruck!" I turned and realized that I was alone in my car that day...hmmm.

When she was perhaps 10 years old, she came home from school and decided that she would be a vegetarian. She had seen a film about how chickens were raised and decided that she could no longer eat any meat. Well, that was it. She just stopped eating meat. Meals became more interesting for us. My son is a carnivore and she a vegetarian. Between them, a complete meal.

She was quite a rebellious teen, running away once for four days and aging me 10 years in that time. Now, as a mother herself, she frequently apologizes to me "I'm so sorry, Mom. I can't believe I did that to you." I guess that is the turnabout. Until you are a mother, you can't know. But throughout her tumultous teen years, I knew that if I kept our communications open, she would find her way back. I had total faith in this because I had raised her to make her own decisions and to be able to think for herself. I just had to live through it until I could exhale again.

She has always known her own mind. Choosing her friends, she could take the measure of a person and I always trusted her to make the right choices.
Now, she is a mother of three little loves. I worked full time while my children were growing up and I feel that I missed so much. She is lucky to be able to stay home with them and I am always telling her "These are the best years of your life. Enjoy them. Cherish your children now. Cherish your life now." Funny, no one believe that when they are changing diapers, doing laundry, washing dishes, cleaning house, managing three toddlers. "Get off your brother's head!"
But I am here to tell you, "You're gonna miss this."

So, happy birthday, my love, I am completely in awe of you.

Love, mom.