To My First Baby ~

"Before you were concieved, I wanted you."
"Before you were born, I loved you."
"Before you were here an hour, I would die for you."
"This is the miracle of life."
~M. Hawkins~

To my darling daughter on her fourteenth birthday:

From the moment I first laid eyes on you, I knew my life would never be the same. You made me a role-model, you made me a caregiver, you made me a mother.

You taught me that sleep is over-rated. You spoiled me with your easy temperament and constant smile. I spent the first two years of your life watching your every move. Taking endless pictures and video of the milestones you achieved.

Your first day of school, you cried your eyes out. Wounded that I would leave you in a place where you were uncertain. It would be that way, each and every day until 1st grade that you would cry when I left you. I thought it would never end, your dependence on me but somewhere between 4th and 6th grade, something changed. You grew your own wings.

I have watched you closely over the years and as you approach your fourteenth year I can see a glimpse of the woman you will become. I am beyond proud of you and envy your budding talent in the many areas of your life.

Gone are the days of sharing every detail with me. I now hang on those windows of opportunity that come at the oddest moments when you want to pour your heart out and share with me what is going on in your life. I take all of them to heart and treasure them.

So today we spend the day shopping and sharing. Your chatter was endless as we drove to IKEA and you shared with me your thoughts on your friends and how you see yourself. Shopping was an interesting experience with you taking your time deciding what you really wanted for a bed. I enjoyed trying them all out with you and seeing all the different things that caught your attention.

When you asked for a large paper lantern to be your main lighting fixture I have to admit it was something I hadn't considered. (but I loved that it was only $5)

You let me take only one picture of you. And LOOK at how blurry it is.

See that spider man band-aid. You told me over and over today how "cool" spider man is. Now who is calling who goofy?

Here is your cake. I made it myself. Your favorite, white cake with white frosting and always, always, always the colored sprinkles. You may thing those colored sprinkles are a new thing but you have ALWAYS wanted colored sprinkles.

When I finished frosting the cake, I wanted to save the extra for you but knew if your brother came home from school before we got back, he'd eat it. So you and I decided to hide it in a place he'd never look. Your CLOTHES HAMPER.

If I had any doubt about what you thought of your birthday, I need only check the whiteboard and read this ~

I hope today was as special for you, as it was for me. I love you so much and I look forward to many more birthdays like this one.