My Girl

My girl turned 14 today. 

I can't believe how fast the time has gone by.  I still vividly recall the day I found out I was pregnant.  I was working at The Broadway dept store at the age of 25.  I've never been so happy and scared all at the same time.  Until that day having a baby just seemed like a great idea, now, suddenly I was going to be responsible for another human being.  Wow, that makes it so much more real. 

I remember the first sonogram.  She or it at the time because we didn't know it was she was a little peanut with a tiny beating heart.  Months later we found out she was a girl, this was a truly happy day.  I wanted a girl so badly.  Months later I would hijack Father's Day by having my water break at home during the final 7th game of the NBA finals.  The Bulls were playing and her Dad could barely believe we had to leave for the hospital on Father's Day, much less in the 2nd quarter of the game.  Fast forward 18 hours (we could have stayed home) I gave birth to Samantha Brittany.  Ironically, on her birthday this year, another final game in the NBA.

Sam was the best baby ever.  The worst thing she did was to give back a little bit of every bottle by way of spit up.  She barely cried, had a regular schedule, got 2 to 3 teeth at a time and her gas was easily remedied with Mylicon.  She was a joy, so happy and funny. 

Cute story.  I took her to my Grandmother's house pretty much daily.  I worked weekends and nights part time so I could stay with her and help Grandma.  We would run errands and go to lunch and hang out at the mall etc.  Being a stay at home Mom was the bomb, easy breezy.  I don't care what any stay at home Mom says, it was EASY!  OK, but I digress.  Sam would nap at Grandma's house daily, she had a crib there and her own room.  She would wake up and stand in her crib and call out, "anybody......somebody.....anybody....."  hoping one of us, or presumably someone would come get her.  She didn't cry, she just called out.  We would make her wait because it was so funny to hear her.

We moved to the current house when Sam was 18 months old.  She immediately found her best little friend Isabelle, who is 11 months older.  They got along famously except for the infamous day of the collar grabbing argument over sidewalk chalk.  Isabelle's Mom and I watched, we wanted to intervene, but it was funnier to let them duke it out.  Then there was the day Isabelle gave Sam a makeover while we thought Isabelle was helping Sam to use the potty.  The image we will never forget, Isabelle in the hallway saying, Mommy don't panic, and then seeing Sam in the bathroom, standing on a step stool with terribly bright fuchsia lipstick applied horribly and a handful of hair on the ground.  She actually got a haircut along with her makeover.  We weren't mad.  We still laugh about it. 

Then we had the staples in the head.  This was great timing because the office store Staples was running the ad campaign slogans saying, Staples, Yeah,We Got That.   She was about 2, we taught her to say, "Staples, yeah, I got those".   A couple weekends at Children's Hospital while we were dealing with an asthma diagnosis (you can thank Mom for that gene).   Only a cold here and there, and few injuries. 

Fast forward to now.  My girl is a successful student, good friend, very cute,  taller than me, fashion forward without being a snob and hilariously funny, even when I am mad at her.  She's a good girl.   I love her very much and I am so glad she is remarkably different from her Mom at this age.  

Happy birthday Sam.  You're a good kid.  I love you and I am proud of you.