Sappy "Emma is 14" Birthday Post
Birthdays are weird for me. I'm so happy to see the people that the kids are becoming, all while being sad that those precious baby days slip further and further away.
This thought process is brought to you by the Number 14. Fourteen.
14 is the number of years that my oldest daughter turns today at 8:31pm.
So vivid are the memories of that day. I spent most of the day trying to convince myself that she wasn't on her way. She was 3 and a half weeks early and whereas there were no concerns about her development at that point, I just wasn't ready. But, I should have known that Emma waits for NO ONE and she just does things in her own time.
When I think of Emma, I think of brains and beauty and confidence. I think of humor and love and really great hugs. I think of helpfulness and thoughtfulness and oh my the sarcasm.
When you become a mother, at least in my experience, you sort of have a flash of a moment where you envision what this child's life will be like. The expectations and the wishes and the assumptions of how you think the child will turn out. I could have never imagined that Em would be such an intriging and sometimes downright amusing configuration of science-music-love-makeup-treeclimbing-acting-humor-tiktoking-confidence. And that barely scratches the surface.
I mentioned confidence twice and I have to say that this may be the biggest change in Em. You can physically see it in her. I don't know where she got it from (certainly not me) but it suits her well and I hope it sticks around. The teenage years are hard and if this new found confidence can make things a bit easier, I'm so thankful for it. (Note to Em--it's okay if you don't feel confident all of the time, or even at all..just please know that I see it and I love it for you and I really wish I could be more like you in this way.)
The others have all voted Em their favorite sibling. And you can see that it's true in the way that they light up when she walks into a room. You can see it in their eyes when they talk to her. You can see it when Jack gets to catch up on a TV show with her. Or when Sara scores the elusive Emma hug. Or when Alex realizes thing number 763 that they have in common. They are lucky to have an Emma. We all are.
Dad is lucky to have someone to play punchbuggynopunchbacks. You're his shooting partner, his library "coworker", the one he LIVES to torment with his lame Dad-isms. I'm lucky to have a fellow music lover, a confidant, a friend. I'm lucky to have you in my corner and my world is significantly better because you exist in it.
Em, I hope all of your hopes and dreams come true. I love you more than you'll ever know. Thank you for being born. You truly are a bright star in this Universe and I hope you always know that.
Happy birthday, my material girl, my "dave", my love.
And, as always...
To come through unto life to beA beautiful reflection of his grace
See I know that a gift so great
Is only one God could create
And I'm reminded every time I see your face
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