Sweet Sixteen

My oldest girl turns sixteen today. At 12:10 pm roughly. Her birth certificate probably does say the exact time on it, but I'm too lazy to dig it out and see for sure. I was sort of in a drug induced haze at that point but I do know it was after the "Price is Right".

This time last year my girl was fantasizing about a sweet sixteen party. Which surprised me because she's not that kind of girl. I didn't say yes or no (although in my head I was think, hell no) I just took it as a random thought. She has lots of those.

She made no mention of it this year. Her biggest wish is to see "Alice in Wonderland" on opening night at the closest mall theater tomorrow night.

We couldn't switch it to Saturday night because it would be easier for me. So we are going with Friday night, I consider it my extra gift to her. (You know because I had OTHER plans for Friday night, which I have no canceled)

I'm the mom that gives their children the option of going to school on their birthday or staying home. This is not something my Mom did for me. It's something I wished she did. I usually take my kid's birthdays off, to make that day special for them.

And special for me. After all I spent that day traumatized (0h to a certain extent, work with me here people) and hospitalized after each birth, I might as well celebrate too.

Today my girl decided she wanted to go to school. For her first class. ART. I wrote her a note dismissing her at 8:45 AM. I wrote her note and added my phone number at the bottom for good measure.

The school called me to confirm she was being dismissed and boy for about ten seconds there, I thought I was in trouble too. Heh.

I picked her up and we scooted off to breakfast. Where we scoffed down pancakes (her), eggs, toast and homefries (me) and bacon (both of us, yum).

Then I took her to the mall for those certain gifts I can't pick out anymore. Like yards of fabric in colors that she is making Anime Costumes with. I also treated her to some Class A Window Shopping. Where we looked at expensive cool things and I didn't buy any of them for her (she didn't ask, it was nice to look at) but we did hit the bookstore and she picked out a few Anime Novels with weird titles.

She was thrilled. So was I.

We went home and hung out in the living room. Her playing an xbox game (another gift she picked herself) and me hanging on the computer. Both of us joking and chatting.

I made and frosted her cake, completely with the number candles on it.

We had tacos for dinner. Her choice. Her favorite. I had a few presents for her to open, they were just silly stuff. Nail polish, learners permit study book and her favorite candy.

It couldn't have been a nicer day and I wish I could bottle it up and keep it in my pocket.

It was that good.