Princess, Princess, Princess

So my Goddaughter turned 6… let that sink in a little. Pause. All right it’s sunk. I can’t believe it she is six! And a wonderful little girl also she is smart and polite and very cute! Did I say talented? Well she is that also. But she can’t be six. She can’t be going into 1st grade ugh! Wasn’t just the other day I was cutting her umbilical cord just moments after she was born? She still doesn’t believe me when I tell her I helped make her belly button! I also was the one to feed her strawberries for the first time, I still supply her berry habit. I cried just last year watching her dance at her first dance recital (she was a very cute bumblebee). We have danced to Phil Collins “You’ll be in my heart” from Tarzan right after she was born, she fell asleep while Mom was resting or showering or something. I have taken her on rides at Disneyland (she had to ride with Auntie). She is the daughter of my best friend/chosen sister. SHE CAN’T BE SIX.

I was video taping parts of her “Princess Party” her mom had arranged a real live princess to show up (much less scary than a clown). She was entranced with the princess and with all of her school friends! She even had time for her little cousin; she made sure that Miss Bee wasn’t left out of the circle. Watching her sit on the couch and play the games that the princess was leading them in was amazing to me, all I could see was her taking her first steps, the look on her face when she realized that I wasn’t just hers that I had two other kids that laid claim to me and my lap, watching her hold Miss Bee for the first time, or the feel of her little arms around me when she gives me hugs. I can’t believe its been six years since she was screaming at all of the nurses making her voice heard that early May morning.

The funny part about this little rant is I do this with all of them all of the kids close to my heart. My own kids, my godchildren, my friend’s kids, my nephews, and my cousins all of them, I come from a large Irish family! Need I say more; there is always a new baby around, there is always a birthday or something. I understand the circle of life, (I have watch Lion King) but why is it I am so surprised when they gain another birthday? Or hit another ‘Life’ event? Okay she is allowed to grow up, breathe, another in through the nose and out through the mouth. I understand what my Grandmother used to say “cherish every time you see them, hold close every moment, and always remember BUT allow them to grow, learn and make mistakes above all LOVE them” My Grandmother was very wise! No wonder she cried when I did something learn to drive, graduate for school, get married, have kids, get a divorce and get married again. She always had a little smile on her face when one of us kids would reach a goal! I guess I never verbalized just how hard it is to watch them grow up, I have moaned and groaned that Frogs is no longer a toddler, or that Sunni isn’t in elementary school, that Miss Bee has outgrown a favorite outfit. But its just hard to watch them make the mistakes and the learn from them on their own. Its wonderful to watch them succeed: a first dance recital, a perfect color guard performance, a great soccer goal save, the first time they can work the swing all by themselves or have the courage to go down the slide without help and no one to catch them at the bottom. Watching your kids (and that includes the ones you claim and didn’t have to give birth to) fail and succeed is the hardest thing to do and the best thing to do! I wouldn’t trade it for anything else in the world.

~“Cherish every time you see them, hold close every moment, and always remember BUT allow them to grow, learn and make mistakes above all LOVE them”~ Tutu