If I had any doubt about whether or not my girl was growing too old for the paper number tradition, she let me know quite clearly the day before that she absolutely expected them and would be very disappointed if they weren't there when she woke up in the morning. She ran into the kitchen first thing and threw her arms around my waist and said, in her exuberant (always) and sincere way, "Thank you!" and I don't know if she's talking about the numbers (what's a little construction paper, really?), or just the following through and consistency or something bigger, like keeping her alive another year. I don't know. But we hadn't even given her a birthday gift yet, hadn't eaten breakfast, hadn't taken her to the local bakery for a special birthday scone, nothing had happened yet, really. And yet, she was beaming and she was glad and she hugged me with all the gratitude her nine young years could hold and I pulled back a little and said, "You're thanking me? I'm the one who's grateful. I get to spend every day with this amazing girl here who is a little more amazing every year, Happy Birthday, sweetie." She was luminous and it was so sweet and, yes, we really talk as sappy as all that to each other. We had a lovely day, even if it did involve finagling a doctor visit for a rather sick little brother. Her dad skipped off of work and took her, in my inability to be at two places at once, to the tattoo and piercing place for the long hoped for, but seldom mentioned, ear piercing. It was a surprise and she was delighted. It seemed like a memorable way to mark what feels like, on the front end, a very auspicious year. Nine. Halfway to legal adulthood. So far from those precocious toddler days, but not close enough for me to even imagine self-sufficiency. I miss the wild-haired, cherub-faced little girl she was, so surprisingly wise and witty even then, and I see glimpses of, and look forward to knowing, the confident and bold woman she will be, but I'm just really glad I can hold tight and balance right here in the middle a little while longer. Her granny mailed her a sewing machine and her dad, brother and I gifted her with all sorts of accouterments related to her interest in being a Healer. She was thrilled to have new tools for two of her current passions represented; stay tuned for all sorts of creative goodness coming from both directions.
5 comments:
Happy Birthday Freya!!!
I remember getting my first sewing machine-that was a great day! I can't wait to see the other creative things as well.
She's an amazing girl- how could I not be charmed by a person who knows her own mind so well?
Sounds like a wonderful day, except for the doctor's visit!
actually, the doctor's visit was fine. we rarely take the children to allopathic doctors (in fact, freya's never been to one except for getting stitches once for a cut on her eyelid) but i don't have a relationship with a naturopath out here and didn't want to drive to far northeast portland to the nd clinic we used to always go to, so we found a doctor here and went, mostly because i was worried that it could be a raging ear infection or something, he's ever been sick before and i wanted to know what i was dealing with so i'd know how to best take care of it. boy, this is a lot longer than i meant it to be. anyway, no ear infections just some yucky virus which gave him a mouthful of ulcers and i just kept on doing what i usually do for a sick kiddo and today he's much improved. whew.
I hear you. It was so hard with Juliana being sick last week, I mean it was hard with everyone, but the littler they are the more difficult it is for me.
We have a naturopath outside Lafayette that we really like, if you are interested. She also recently added a second nd to her practice and the new nd focuses on women's health. I've never met her, but I bet she is good. The nd has her practice in a home (not the one she lives in) so it is so warm and cozy, much better than an allopathic dr.
That is so sweet, it brought tears to my eyes. :)
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