1-2-3 like the birds I see
Cause you giving me the most beautiful set of wings
And I’m so glad you’re here today
Cause tomorrow I might have to go and fly away

Dear Chickie,

Today you are 13. Thirteen. Teenager. Didn't we just finish the potty training?

October 4th, 1994, 6:15 pm. My life changed forever. My life changed for the better. I don't know what I expected, but it certainly wasn't the wild ride we've had. Weigh the good and the bad and I wouldn't change one blessed thing about it. Except for maybe the whole leaving your clothes where they fall thing, or the fact that you can't comprehend that you don't leave dishes on the floor.

One of the stories you love to hear is about your birth. Your dad's birthday is one day after yours. I was just beginning to push when the doctor leaned over to him, wrapped her arm around his shoulder and said "you know, I could give her some drugs to slow this labor down so that your child (at this time, we did not know we were having a daughter) will be born on your birthday." Since this is a blog that my family (including you) and friends read, I won't burn their ears by repeating my opinion of that suggestion. Let's just say your dad told me that I shouted out obscenities that would have caused another fault line to occur in California.

"She's 7lbs, 15 oz, 21 3/4" long!" I remember those words as if they are ingrained in my soul. Your father of course, had to put them on a post-it note so he wouldn't forget. But I forgave him after abut six months. Kind of. But I digress. Where was I?

You were all legs, tall and skinny except for your Buddha belly. Your toes were so long that you used to wrap them around my finger. Getting socks on you was a feat because whenever I tried to put them on you, your toes would spread out into a fan. I had to trick you in order to get your shoes on. I would tickle the bottom of your feet so that you would scrunch them up enough so that I could jam them on before you knew what was happening. You weren't very happy about it and spent every waking moment trying to figure out how to get those shoes OFF.

You really never learned how to crawl until after you started walking. Your version would be what your dad dubbed "Army Style" in which you pulled yourself along with your forearms. Sometimes you would get frustrated at the length of time it took you to get from point 'A' to point ‘B’ and you would fall back on your ever faithful "Log Roll." When you first started pulling yourself up into a standing position, you would hold it as long as possible because you were scared to death of sitting down. I guess you thought that perhaps the ground was too far away and if you let go you would surely hit it with such force that the TV would be knocked off the entertainment center and your would most probably, break something really important, like your tush. It took you a few weeks to get over that fear, and once you did, you repeated the pattern of standing, then sitting, over and over again, laughing the whole time. It's as if you were saying "Look! Look at what I can do!"

You continued to grow both physically and emotionally in great leaps and bounds. There were certain phases you went through that nearly brought me to my knees. I remember your first day of Kindergarten as if it were yesterday. I was so worried about you and it turns out, it was much harder on me than it was on you. You walked into that classroom and showed me your desk and then ran up to some other children you had never seen before and that was all she wrote. You LOVED it and continued on in the same manner each and every year, even when we moved across the country. You entered Middle School with much anticipation. Yes, you admitted you were a little nervous but you were excited. It was a special time in your life, and again, it was much harder on me. I worried all day about you but it turns out it was all for naught. You came home and in one big rush, told me about all of your classes, and your teachers, but most importantly, all of your new friends. You particularly talked about five of them who you are still very close to. I am now facing the dilemma of you entering High School next year. What happened to that pig tailed girl with bangs and a matching Barbie Lunch Box and Backpack?

Like most parents, I worry incessantly about the person you are yet to become, and I constantly wonder if I have a good grasp on this whole parenting thing. Is there something that I have missed?

So now you are officially a teenager. What happens next? I don't know about you but I can't wait!

Happy birthday Squirrel. I love you.

Mama