Birthday Girl

LuLu is 9 today. The good news? She's still a little girl, who likes little girl things. Today this post is all about my angel-baby...

She's beautiful. Breathtaking, even. Sometimes when we're driving down the road and I glance back in the rearview mirror at her, and it actually takes my breath away. Do all mothers feel that way? Probably. Although I do think mine are extra pretty, of course. Lu in particular, though, has that kind of face that people like to look at. Even when she was a baby people liked to touch her and talk to her. Stranger-People. I've tried to instill in her that not all people are safe to talk to, even when they are extra nice. So far I've got a slim to none lead over the Stranger-People. They just like her. When she was about 3 one of those S-P told me LuLu should really be on tv. Instead, I've religiously shielded her and protected her. She's utterly and completely....nine.

She loves Barbies and, much to her mother's initial dismay, Bratz. She still adores her baby dolls and pushes around the yard (somewhat hunched over) her fold up dolly stroller. Even though I had read in some baby magazine somewhere that she would outgrow baby dolls by 6... I don't tell her this. In fact, I relish, RELISH, the fact that she is so much a little girl still, doing little girl things.

She loves play makeup, and gaudy jewelry. She likes tutus and tiaras. She's recently in love with Samantha of the American Girl series, and is doing "chores" around the house to save up to buy Kit. I could buy it for her. It's hard for me to NOT buy it, when she wants it so much that the mailer catalog is grey and wrinkly from the sheer looking it's received. I want her to want it though. I want her to have that satisfaction, that feeling of accomplishment, when she's finally saved enough to buy it herself. To place the order, and wait impatiently by the mailbox every day until Kit arrives. There is nothing like that feeling, and if I buy it for her...she'll never know that. It's important that she know that.

But it's still really hard on mom. I want her to have it all. Thankfully my mom did such a great job raising ME that I know I have to teach Lu about this want, and the wait that comes with it. So thanks, mom.

Happy Birthday, LuLubelle. You are the light in my day, and the stars at night. And no mama ever loved anyone so much.

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