Twenty-one…

Happy birthday baby girl!

You are 252 months old today!

(Sorry Dooce)

I’m proud that you’re out there in the world exploring and learning and meeting interesting people. I’m proud that you walk to your own drummer. I’m proud that you always have an interesting way of expressing your feelings in words, borrowed lyrics and monosyllabic grunting (ok that was a few years ago).

I’m proud you made it through those lovely teen years to become the ADULT you are.

We were a great team in the early years, I remember we had our own patter, our own little sayings and one day out in public I looked down at your four year old self and said, “Wow, you’re SO blonde!” The people we were with thought I was a terrible mom for ruining your self esteem. Interesting that they didn’t notice us talking to each other in Valley girl speak, all they heard was my line to you. Later, in the car you looked at me and said, “Oh Muffy, look at the nice MERCEDES” in your little Valley girl voice. Of course no one heard you except me. But it was a great moment. I had been teaching you that line for weeks!

If I could change anything I wouldn’t. Life as we’ve experienced was meant to be.

I wrapped my arms around you during cadence last summer and I knew it was an important moment for me. I knew I was letting you go but needed that moment to hold you and just love you being close to me. I will always want to snuggle with you and talk. In my heart nothing’s changed. You’re still my baby girl, ‘cheeks’, and I love you 252 times more now than the day you were born -not actually a quantifiable amount considering how great I loved you from the start.

Welcome to adulthood, trust me when I say the learning and growing never stops it’s all part of the process.
Enjoy!