Monday, December 8, 2008

21 years ago...








I was in the hospital, having my first child. We didn't know what we were having, a baby of course, just didn't know what kind, and were pleasantly surprised when out popped a little girl! Our little Chelsea Breann. It's a good thing she was a girl, we didn't even have a boys name picked out, but ever since I was a young girl and saw "On Golden Pond" with Jane Fonda, her character's name was Chelsea and I fell in love with it, I knew I wanted to name my little girl Chelsea. Her middle name came from a song I liked from Fleetwood Mac. It wasn't until years later that my husband clued me in on the fact the song wasn't named "Brianna" it was "Rianna". Huh, not my fault you can't understand those dang rock singers half the time. Besides, Chelsea Riann doesn't sound as good.



Hard to believe it's been 21 years. Am I that old? Funny how I can remember that day like it was yesterday, but have a hard time remembering what she was like when she was little. Good thing for pictures to help us remember. I wish I had a picture of the day she decided to finger paint, with DESITIN ! Have you ever tried to wash Desitin out of carpet, clothes, toyboxes, the wall, her hair! It's waterproof people, it doesn't wash out! I also wish I had a picture of the day she decided she wanted to become a hairdresser, she practiced on herself, and boy was she proud! She cut her bangs all the way to her scalp! Rest assured, she's much better now.

So, listen up all you mothers out there with young girls...if they're driving you crazy cuz they change their clothes 5 times a day, or leave barbies all over the floor, or bobby pins, or spill make-up all over the floor, and they're moody and sulky, or giggly and silly, and you just can't wait for them to grow up! Well, they will, and they do. You'll wish you could go back and dress them in frilly dresses, cuz now it's t-shirts and flip flops. Instead of sponge curlers saturday nights, now it's flat irons and hot dates saturday nights. Instead of barbies and dolls, it's IPods and Guitar Hero. Instead of clothes and stuffed animals all over the floor, well, it's still clothes, and stuffed animals all over the floor (somethings will never change). If there's one thing I've learned in the last 21 years its this: Kids do grow up, faster than you ever expect them too. And one day you'll stop and realize, did I teach them everything they need to know to survive in the real world? Does she know how to make gravy from scratch or cook a roast (ok, still learning that one myself). You just hope that somehow along the journey, they watched, they paid attention, they will want to have a child of their own someday, and when they do, they'll finally realize how much they were loved by you...

I remember when you were my little girl,

as much a part of me as my right arm.

My every breath and step

held you in my mind.

Then suddenly, one morning, you were grown!

I was not finished with you.

But we must love our children

enough to let them go.

But in my heart, you'll always be...

...my little girl!

Happy Birthday Chelsea! I love you! Mom

2 comments:

Susan said...

you have done a wonderful job raising Chelsea! My first niece! How exciting! I still remember when you were pregnant staying over night at mom's and you let me feel your tummy when she was moving. That was such an incredible thing to me. And it's my favorite part of being pregnant myself! My little guy is doing some type of mambo dance at this very moment!

Charayne said...

Ok, so I am almost in tears! What a good mom you are and I am starting to realize that time goes by so fast. I just want my kids littler again. Happy Birthday Chelsea!! It's so great that you are documenting these feelings so that your kids can look back at them someday!