19 years today

My mother's friend always said that children's birthdays really belonged to the mother. On my brother's and my birthdays, her friend would call her and wish her a happy day because, after all, she had been the one to do the work. She had labored. It was one of those times I would roll my eyes.

Until this morning. This morning I woke up to my baby's 19th birthday, which in itself is terrifying to believe, but as I lay in bed thinking of how she had her whole day planned and how we were just 10% of that day, I understood. Mainly, because I was feeling sorry for myself that she wanted to spend the day with the boy toy and her friends instead of with her mother. Her mother who did the LABORING on this day.

On their birthdays I use to climb into bed and relieve my greatest triumph. They loved hearing their birth story. I usually cried, but we laughed and snuggled and I hoped we were making good memories. Starting a tradition. But, as always, life took a turn and this year Madison wasn't with us on her birthday. I should have known that was the beginning. Cue the feeling sorry for the mother.

At least that is what I was thinking as I lay in bed, eyes closed, wishing I hadn't stayed up past 2:00 a.m. Darcy had alerted us to her plan the night before. Wake early. Open gifts. She would leave to pick up the boy toy and blah, blah, blah we would see her again that evening for her family birthday dinner. Sigh. The mother is now on the back burner, replaced with another love and the excitement of a day with friends. Once again, I apologized to my own mother.

But as I whined in my head I heard a noise, opened one eye, and there was the subject of my sniffling smiling at me from the end of the bed, her face sparkling.

Darcy: "You quit snoring so I thought you might be awake. It's my birthday!"
Me: "I was just lying here thinking of all of the work I did in spitting you out. Grandma's friend always said it should be the mother who is celebrated on this day. You know since I did all of the work. Carried you for nine months. Fed you. Birthed you."
Darcy: "That's why you have Mother's Day."

Yep, this kid is the one who keeps us in line. She did let me snuggle her and we talked a bit about that day. Then I got up and opened her gifts and kissed her goodbye as she headed out the door. Happy Birthday, kiddo. You have exceeded our expectations and have grown into a mature, thoughtful, wonderful, caring adult who has so much love and heart to give to others. You bring the laughter in our life and we love you to the moon and back!