14!
Fourteen!!
The ol' one-four!!!
Not just a teenager, but a teenager with one whole year of teenage-dom under her belt.
I just don't know how this happened. I mean, I just gave birth to her yesterday or was it the day before? And seriously, didn't she just start walking? And say her first words? And give me her first open mouth kiss?
Didn't we just talk last week about her picking up her toys? Putting her Barbies away? Didn't we just argue about whether her hair was going to be braided or just put in ponies? Wasn't I recently telling her to stop spending all her allowance on WebKins?
Didn't she just start school? Wasn't it just last week that I drove away from her Kindergarten class with #3 and #4, looked in the rear view mirror, saw her car seat was empty and slammed on the brakes! WHERE WAS SHE??? Oh yah, at school! Or was that the week before?
Wasn't it last month that I dried her tears when one of her very best friends in the whole wide world moved away? Didn't I just have to help her understand what triplets were and what it meant to have them in her class? Wasn't it just last week that I had to explain to her tear-stained face that it was up to her to decide if she still wanted to be friends with a friend who lied about her? And didn't I just have to cover her eyes last night when there was a scary part in the movie we were watching, cuddled together on the couch?
Didn't she just try gymnastics? And then move on to try figure skating, then soccer? Wasn't it just a few days ago that she just started playing the piano with NO lessons? And shortly thereafter started playing the piano with both hands, still NO lessons? Didn't she just try the flute and break all of our eardrums in the process?
When did she stop being my little girl?
When did she start being a young woman?
Who is this 14 year old young woman living in my home?
Where has the time gone?
In December it came to our attention that there was a BOY with whom she shared mutual affection. A boy, with hands for holding and lips for kissing and other body parts that shall not be named... They even went on a "date" - ice skating with a group of friends. I chose not to meet this young man for fear that his personal well-being and safety would be jeopardized and I may be arrested.
I am SO not ready for this. I'm not. I know I'm not even close to being ready for this. Doesn't she know that boys have cooties? And they smell? And spit? And scratch themselves? Boys are yucky!!
Yet, she's growing up. I can't stop it, not that I've tried, but I am pretty sure child services would be paying me a visit if I did.
Recently, another mother at our elementary school asked me what our family policy was regarding dating. I told her that we didn't really have a policy, but that we want our kids to be honest with us. We feel that if we "ban" them from dating until a certain age, they are probably going to do it anyways, just hide it from us. Our conversation ended with both of us agreeing that our kids could date when we are dead because that is the ONLY time we are going to be okay with our kids going out on a date!!
Happy 14th Birthday to my sweet, beautiful, wonderful and cherished daughter!! Thank you for being who you are, putting up with who I am and being SO very patient with me as I watch you grow up. I love you Sweetheart!!
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