HAPPY BIRTHDAY DANIELLE

This is one of my favorite posts.

For many reasons and on many different levels.

It's been thirty years in the making.

I can honestly say that there is nothing else in this life that has brought me greater joy than my daughter Danielle. I said that the first time I felt her move and I can say it again today. There truly is no greater gift in this life than your children.

I remember being in the bathtub about three weeks before she was born. All of a sudden she dropped and I could breath deeply for the first time in months. I didn't care about any of that. All I could think about was that she was getting ready to come into the world. I started thinking about so many things. I prayed she'd be healthy and I prayed that I'd be a good mother. 

I had no idea how deeply I'd fall in love and it only took an instant.

I had a C-section and as they cut me open and brought her out into this world, she was looking around the room. She always did things her own way and it started from the moment she took her first breath. At three months she started to shove my hands away so she could hold her bottle herself. She was independent and wanted to do things her way.  Nothing much has changed. Danielle was definitely not the type of child to be reined in. The only thing I could do was draw a big circle and let her move freely within it. She could make any decisions within that circle but if she took one step out her little fanny was mine and we worked well together within that framework. When a lot of children and parents were at odds, Danielle and I drew even closer together.

We moved to a new house when she was four and we built a HUGE sand area in the back yard. She had her own little house out there but it wasn't quite enough. She wanted a microwave in there so she could make her own hot dogs in her own house. She ate pyracantha berries and ran when I tried to take them out of her mouth. She walked at 8 months and ran shortly thereafter. Nothing would ever be the same again.

When asked at school what we wanted to do in outer space she replied, "I want to ride a shooting star." There she is in one simple statement. She wrote about the red dress that I wore when I went out at night and canary diamonds. I then told the teachers that I wouldn't believe anything that Danielle said about them if they would do the same in return. She wrote a report on amphibians in the first grade and found a National Enquirer that said "Woman gives birth to frogs," and used that as her research. Her teacher called me and laughed like crazy while I was cringing. She gave her an A.

Danielle has her own code and way of looking at things. She is fiercely independent and loyal. Heaven help you if you come against anyone or anything she loves. She doesn't give many second chances. She also doesn't have many shades of gray; trust, loyalty and love are the words she lives by and expects the people in her life to live by them as well. Did I mention stubborn?

I've always been immensely proud of her and, again, nothing much has changed. I may not have agreed with all her decisions but they were hers to make and the lessons learned were hers also. She has always known that whatever decision she makes, good or bad, I'll be right there beside her. 

She's met the man who will be her life partner and its a good match. It's full of fire, passion and love. They share a wonderful trait; when they give their word it's gold. He lives by the same codes and values that she does.  I have no doubt that 50 or more years will go by and they will still be together looking back on a life full of joy and yes, challenges and wonder. They will treat their love as something profound and rare; something that shouldn't be wasted. I can't wait to give her away to this wonderful man. He's not my son-in-law, he's my son and I couldn't be happier about this match. 

So thirty years has gone by since the night that I gave birth to her. It was the most wonderful night of my life and it has been such a joy to watch her grow into the lovely, giving and gracious woman she's become. I can only hope that she will avoid the mistakes that I've made and I hope that she has as much joy and fun with her daughter as I've had with her. Danielle is my greatest accomplishment in this life. I couldn't love anything more. She will learn so many life lessons when she has her children but, most importantly, she will learn the lesson of true unconditional love. 

I've passed on the curse and I know it works.

I had a little girl just like me and I know she'll have one just like her. Over-reaction runs rampant on the female side and she'll have a whole lot of fun with her little girl. I really can't wait to see it. Her soon-to-be husband will have to sit back and shake his head. Me? I'll be laughing and reveling in the perks that grandchildren bring.

She's wonderful, strong and full of life.

 She is my daughter.

She is her own person.

She is beautiful, inside and out.

She is Danielle.

I love you more, my baby!

Happy 30th Birthday!