As Long As I'm Living, My Baby You'll Be

Last night at dinner:

Sweetie: Was it the tube way or the cut off a part of your body way?

Me: Huh?

Sweetie: How I got out of your body. Did I come out the tube way or the way where they cut off a piece of your body?

Me: The tube way.

Sweetie: Good.

M: And they don't cut off a piece of the body. They cut a slit under the mom's belly button and lift the baby out.

S: Oh..... Where's the tube now? What's it made out of? Can I see it?

M: Ha! It's not really a tube. It's part of a woman's body. It's called the birth canal.

S: (commences with rowing motions) La, la, la, la, la.... I'm on the birth canal on the way to be born!

S: (obviously thinking more, more questions formulating in her mind)

Me: Every female has 3 openings in their private parts. One for pee to come out, one for poop to come out, and one in the middle for the baby to come out.

Hubby: So you're a mixture of pee and poop!

(Uproarious laughter ensues.)

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And thus endeth the cute but embarrassing little stories I'll be sharing about Sweetie. Probably. Yes - on today, her 8th birthday, I think I should call an end to publishing anymore stories that may potentially embarrass her. She's a cool 2nd grader now, you know. Computer savvy friends of hers may somehow, possible, happen upon my blog. It's time to continue on with what I've been pretty much doing of late anyway here... writing more about what's going on for me and allowing Sweetie to take a bit of a backseat. Let my baby grow up with a bit more anonymity. It's time.

Not that I won't even mention her anymore. Of course I will! This is Sweetie & Me, after all. I simply vow to mind more closely what I write about her, considering her feelings more regarding any Sweetie-focused stories I relate. It's time.

But, wow! Eight years old?! Really? Already?! I honestly cannot believe it. I mean, do you know how close 8 years old is to 10 years old?! Very close! And then - OMG! - puberty! I don't even want to think about that yet. Please, God, grant she and I both the strength and patience to manage those years together as carefully and successfully as possible. Then there's learning to drive, applying and getting into college, then dating. (Yes - dating will be the last in the sequence of events. Of course. Study first, date later. Yes.)

Yeah, right.

Okay, okay. Phew. Slowing it down a bit.

Today you are 8, my Sweetie. Eight is GREAT,  just like you continue to self-proclaim yourself to be every day. And, boy, are you right! YOU are great. In every possible way. I cannot tell you the number of times Daddy and I turn to each other and say "I just love her so much!" after admiring the latest creation you've built, hearing the last insightful observation you just made, or gazing upon you as you watch something in wonder, not even realizing there's a world of things going on around you. Of course we are completely biased, but to us, you are amazing and inspiring and practically perfect in every way.

You whispered a random question to me the other night. "Mom? Do I have more of your personality or Dad's personality?"

I answered that I thought you had more of Dad's personality but that there were definitely some parts of it that were much more like me. You agreed with me and smiled happily. And I do think you are a very good mix of both him and me. From the way you look (you used to look so much like Daddy, but now I think you're starting to look a bit more like me), to the way you carry yourself, to what your personality is and what you like to do with your time. I have to hand it to us - we sure are raising a great Sweetie and influencing her growth in some of the best ways possible.

But then - oh my! - there are oh so many ways that you are your very own person, plain and simple. Especially how comfortable you are in a crowd of people (where did that come from?!) and your general confident self-awareness. I really don't think you have ever had a shy day in your life. Daddy and I can't get over how it seems that everyone at school - from your classmates, to all the other kids in all the other grades, to teachers and parents and staff - EVERYONE seems to know who you are and so many kids of all ages seem to clamor towards you trying to vie for a slice of your time and attention.

Little boys vow their love for you and little girls are, I think,  curious about you. No, you're not the typical doll-loving, dress-wearing, house-playing girl. But you also don't mind those activities either. You excitedly went to a classmate's tea party themed dress up birthday party last weekend and brought along your "favorite" doll (read: your only doll, that usually just sits on the shelf). But how attentive you were to that baby doll! And all week after, you've remembered another doll I've adopted from my grandmother's collection and, together with both dolls now, you've been gently attending to their needs, setting up a comfy chair for them to sit together in, and directing quiet little conversations between these two new fast friends. And then, when you know they're all set, you turn once again to build cars, structures and contraptions with your Legos.

You are definitely a very multi-faceted kid!

I look back at the hundreds of pictures - man, there's probably thousands of pictures! - of you that we've taken since you came into our lives. Pictures of times that seem at once so very long ago but yet were really just a blink of the eye away - weren't they?

My baby, sleeping peacefully across her Daddy's knees.

My baby's first messy whole-foods meals, hands up in the air - "Ah da!" you said when you're spaghetti was gone.

My seemingly sad baby at her 2nd birthday party. Not really. I just happened to catch a shot of you during a quiet, thoughtful moment.

My laughing baby girl, watching for the 50th time the very funny (to a 2 year old) chickie dance video we found at nickjr.com, I think.

My baby, covered entirely with a blanket in the back seat of our non-air conditioned car on a late August day as we traveled to Hershey, PA. What a crazy girl! You traveled extremely well, given the conditions, and you LOVED Hershey beyond our wildest dreams. For years after you wished and wished you could go back there. No better place on earth existed, you were sure.

My baby lying in the colorful fall leaves, nothing but pure glee shining bright on your face.

My baby, dressed up as the Victorian Alice in Wonderland, celebrating her Very Merry Unbirthday at 5 1/2 years old. A forest tea party, painting the roses red, surrounded by friends and family and loving your pink and green 1/2 birthday cake. What a fun day!

My baby, off to the first day of kindergarten! Bye bye, Sweetie! I know you'll just love every minute of this next phase of your life (and you knew you would too, seeing as you jumped out of the car and trotted confidently into the building, not one look back at Daddy and me.)

My baby, proud to show off her new buddy, Mr. Bill. Found on one of your earlier geocaching excursions with Daddy. What an exciting new hobby for us all!

My baby, dressed up as a stick of butter for Halloween. Your idea. Of course. And how certain you were of it too! You and your very unique, very creative ideas!

My baby, showing off her dance pose before a big performance. How proud we were of your accomplishments! - (if not about your attitude. Oh well...)

My baby, indoor skydiving! So exciting! You jumped right in, no fear at all. The picture we have says it all - pure bliss written all over your face. Loved it!

My baby, off and peddling on her new 2-wheeler. Self taught, I might add. You just got on and rode, as Daddy and I stood aside, discussing how your non-training wheel training should proceed. Within moments you were a 2-wheeler pro!

My baby - blowing out her candles on her 8th birthday cake. Her Very Awesome Birthday Cake that looks like a Lego! A green Lego with 2 smaller pink Legos on top. The coolest ever! How proud you were to show it off yesterday at your party.

Yes. Wow. Eight years old already. A little kid. A big kid who's requested we have sushi for her birthday dinner. A smart, curious, imaginative, outgoing, artistic, thoughtful, beautiful, opinionated, great, kind, funny, and sweet young lady. Our Sweetie.

My baby. Forever.

Happy Birthday, Baby. I love you.

Love,

Mama