Lucky number 7 ....

Today my biggest "baby" turned 7 years old.
In honor of her 7th birthday, we had a very special kind of cake for her today ... she got to have pancakes for breakfast! LOL!
So, really, it was because my dh had to work today and will be out of the house from 8:50am to about 11:00pm. Which means daddy wasn't around for dinnertime. So we had a breakfast bash for her.
She was wonderful and told us that she absolutely loved her breakfast bash =)
She opened presents sent to us from across the country from graham and pop. A present for her little sister - who wrapped up some of her toys to give her big sister - which I admit I think is WAY too sweet! And then dh and I gave her one book today. She has her party next weekend, so I wanted to have something today and something then for her.

Then, surprise of all surprises, we ended up going to where dh works (at a fall celebration at a local farm) and he was able to get some time off and go around on rides with us and really spend time with us. We ended up running into other family members there - and we stayed and all the kids went on rides together! We drank hot chocolate, went on rides, ate cookies, froze, and had a great time.

On the way home, my 7 year old proclaimed "This has been the best birthday ever mom!" Well, nice to know that our simple way of celebrating today was so great for her. Of course next week we will shell out way too much money and over-indulge her in what I think will be a very un-simple celebration, but you know, every kid has to have a few big birthdays while growing up, and this year happens to be one of her big ones. It may be that next weekend we do go over the top for her, but you know what? I don't mind because today she showed me that she doesn't need over the top to be satisfied.
That although I'm sure she will have a grand time next weekend, she was just as satisfied on this day, where the only cake she ate was pancake, where I spent literally 25.00 - including her gift - and that just going somewhere and playing with people she knows really is a grand time for her. I admit, it was very nice to see that today =) It makes em feel like I might be doing something right in raising these children of mine.

But ... back to my daughter - in some ways it's hard to believe she is 7 years old ... that 7 years ago I had given birth for the first time, had my first child placed in my arms, and that everyone left me alone in that hospital room with my child for the first time when visiting hours were over.
And yet, I am not sad on this day ... I have not teared up looking at her. I have so many grand memories of her through the years - of her laughing and crying, loving me and hating me, acting like the best child in the world and then acting like the most misbehaving child that not even Super Nanny could help, I have seen her be so curious she couldn't learn enough about someething, and then so uninterested in it that she can't be bothered to even hear one more thing about it! I've seen her dance, sing, play with her sister, and then yell at, push, and fight with her sister. I've seen her very sick, literally deathly ill, I've seen the doctors look at her like they aren't sure what to do next and while they were making plans to transfer her to a much larger children's hospital, I saw her recover so quickly everyone was amazed! From the beginning she proved to be an exciting person - the day she was born, she stayed awake all day long - which proved to be a trend for about her first 2 years of life other than when she was ill! I have heard her tell me very seriously through tears "I am NEVER going to the dentist again. EVER." And then less than one year later tell me "I think I might want to marry Dr. Y [our new dentist]!" I have seen her welcome 2 siblings into our family with open arms. And then get very mad when they learned to walk and could touch her things!
Over the past 7 years I have been through so much with her - so many learning experiences since she was the first, a lot of anxiety over her also since she was the first, so much wondering if she was doing the right thing, if I was doing the right thing, and how will she be when she grows up. Wondering and dreaming about her future, while missing and also celebrating the past, and loving her in the future!
She is really wonderful in all honesty! I don't say that because I'm her mom either ;-) I promise she has her less than perfect moments, but I wouldn't trade her for the world.
And today, I do not feel sad that she is another year older ... I think because I see her growing and learning and changing. And over the last year she has really grown a lot and she has amazed me in so many ways! And that is why I am not sad to see another year come her way. Because I see there are so many wonderful things in store for her future and I can not wait to see that future and share that future with her. And so today, I am excited to see another year come! I can't wait to see all that lies ahead for her!

So, today, I say Happy Birthday Miss A! I'm glad you had an amazingly fun birthday =) And I'm glad you are my dd and I can celebrate with you =)