14 years

of motherhood.... of being the mother to an amazing little girl.......who somehow, in what seems an impossible way, is 14 years old today.  she.was.just.born..........

I prepared for her birth by watching 5million episodes of TLC's "A Baby Story" (and attending a pre-natal course) so I expected the baby to be born screaming.... so when Lindsay was delivered (after 2 4 long gruelling hours of labour) by forceps I FREAKED out when she made no noise...... I was sure there was something terribly wrong...... I asked every Dr, every nurse and Allan 500 times why she wasn't crying..... the Pediatrician came over and said "She is fine - she is lying quietly with big brown eyes , she's very contemplative".

That lasted 30 minutes and then she found her voice and her lungs........

Miss Lindsay has been a feisty and sometimes fiery presence in our lives.  She has kept me on my toes every step of the way (occasionally weeping in a corner in despair) and she has made me a better person.  She was speaking in full sentences by her first birthday and one of the things I love the most is her great conversation.  She is smart and way.too.sassy and she can have me in absolute stitches of laughter and her giggle has enthralled me from when I first heard it in a diner in Hope one sunny day in September 1997.  I count it has a huge blessing that she still cuddles with me and we have great chats and hang out together (and I achieved some high level of mothering when I successfully bought clothes for her without her this week.......I KNOW!).

I am so proud of the young woman she has grown into, the amazing friend she is to so many,  her maturity in dealing with adversity, her poise and grace and her spunk........ a dancer and a rugby player and honor roll student.  I am privileged to be her Mom and her friend.

Happy Happy Birthday our sweet girl - we love you to the moon and back millions of times.

And now I am going to embarrass you...........

Lindsay is 10

Lindsay is 11

Lindsay is 12

Lindsay is 13

Lindsay is 14