Twelve years went by so fast......

Today my little girl turned 12, (gulp) just saying it kinda makes me want to cry. I mean, let me be completely vain and self absorbed for a moment.... am I old enough to have a twelve year old?! Is it possible that in three years I will have a child that can drive? Oh Lord, this is depressing me even more.

Let's get back to the birthday girl. :) Madelyn Lauren George was born on March 3, 1999. 7lbs 6oz 19inches long. If my memory serves me right, it might have even snowed that day. (or one of the days after she was born) Anyway, she was actually born on her due date. Boy did that set me up for disappointment when her brothers were 7 and 10 days overdue. But those boys, well they're an entirely different story. :)

What a beautiful baby, sweet little lips, a button nose, long skinny legs, and lots of hair. All in all Maddy was a very easy going baby. She slept well, was a good eater, and generally pretty happy and content.

Since her birth, it has been sort of a learn-as-you-go process. Which is often the case with your first child. Well, let's just say parenting in general can be a learn-as-you-go-process. As soon as you think you've figured it out your kid's have a way of letting you know you don't you JACK!

People have told me before that girls are much easier to raise than boys.....that is until they hit adolescence. Then, it's a whole other ball game.


For the most part Madelyn really is still that amazingly sweet and thoughtful little girl that she's always been. But now it's enter twined with a little more attitude. Around our house we refer to it as, MATTITUDE! I'm sure my parents are enjoying every minute of this. I may, or may not have shared some similar traits during my youth, but that's neither here nor there. I have heard them reference something along the lines of, "now the shoe is on the other foot, reaping what I sowed, paybacks a b*tch"..... Well okay, they've never said, "paybacks a B!" But, I'm sure their thinking it!

I know well ALL deal with these sorts of things as parents. It is just a part of being a parent, it comes with the territory.

Now, I'd like to share some of the things about Madelyn that make my heart the happiest and most proud. She is a leader and is self confident. Not the, "I'm better than you" kind of self confidence, but the kind that gives her the ability to believe in herself and not be afraid to fail. She is thoughtful. One day, when she didn't have school, I came home to find that she had set up a spa in our living room. Complete with soft music playing in the background, hot tea, a hot neck wrap and warm water for my feet and a separate bowl for my hands. She then gave me a wonderful manicure and pedicure, all the while making sweet chit chat about "how I was doing".

Madelyn is also a great student, earning mostly A's and a couple of B's. She plays the cello and sings beautifully. She is also pretty athletic, which is sort of a surprise being that she is very tall and lean like her father.

Most of the time she is a very good big sister. She loves to play school with the boys. (maybe she'll take after her Oma and become a school teacher?) I love that she's not overly-obsessed about her appearance (what she wears, her hair, etc). I mean, don't get me wrong, she does have her own sense of style, but it's not a life or death situation if her favorite jeans aren't clean! She even has a pretty good sense of humor, I'm sure she gets that from me. ;-)

I am aware of the fact that Madelyn and I are similar in many ways. That's probably one of the reasons why knows exactly how to push my buttons. But, I will say she is definitely her own person with her own gifts, abilities, ideas and identity.


For all of the times she has drove me COMPLETELY CRAZY, and for all of the times to come when she drives me nuts, I will still love her! Because that's what we do. We love our kids even when they act unlovable. We love them even when they say they don't love us, as heart wrenching as it will be. I'll borrow a line from one of my favorite/tear jerking kid's book, "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be."

Oh how true that is. Madelyn will always be my little girl. No matter how tall she gets, no matter how old she is, she'll always be my baby. I was blessed by her the day that she was born and I continue to be blessed by her.

I love you Madelyn! And I am so proud of the wonderful young lady you are becoming.