Eight years in a wink

Dear L'il Red,

Today you turned eight.  To you, that meant presents and parties and squeals and giggles.  To me, it meant another stake in the ground to mark how far we've come.

When I gave birth to you, I was a young, naive mother who didn't know how to get you to put your damn mouth on my goddamn teat, much less parent you.  And somehow, with the help of a really incredible daddy and a pretty cool family, you've become this rambunctious young lady of whom I couldn't be more proud. 

Yes, even when you're throwing a sobbing fit in the middle of the parking lot on the way to your birthday dinner, and yes, even when you demand, just before bedtime, that I sing happy birthday again, and again so that the dog can see it.  (Because the dog -- the DOG!!! -- was clearly upset at having been excluded, and he proceeded to show us his discontent by dragging his ass across the carpet while eyeing us.)  Yes, even then.

And when I told you today, for the seventeenth time this week, that I won't give you a freakin' baby sister, you pouted and said, "FINE!  Daddy will marry someone and give me one!" 

And darling, that's just fine.  Because no matter how many other cute babies there are in the world, you'll always be mine, all mine.

I love you.  Happy Birthday.

Mom

Comments

[sarah tullier]

this is the sweetest ever. happy birthday strawberry shortcake, love, Sarah :)

[Keri]

Happy, happy birthday to Little (Fiery) Red! ;)

[Lara]

She's just like you wanting a baby sister! And at the same age too!