Wednesday 11 March 2009

How the hell did that happen ?

Seventeen years ago today, I began my real career, as a Mummy, it's the one I've enjoyed the most and the one in which my achievements mean the most.

One minute I was in the labour ward gazing into my newborn baby daughters eyes and the proud daddy was saying " I can't believe it was that quick and that easy" yes, he indeedily did, oh there's plenty more where that came from and then the next minute she was 17.

This is the 3rd birthday blog I have written for her and she remains a daily delight. She is as enthusiatic and distractable as when she was 3 and still claps her hands in glee when something good happens. One of my favourite memories is of her magic finger, she used to think her index finger on her right hand could do anything, in the car she would wave it to make the car go faster and we'd drive quicker and to make the rain stop and the sun come out and if her magic finger didn't work, she'd look at it thoughtfully and announce "it must've run out of batteries"

Just after I found out I was pregnant, Gordon and I were on a beach and we watched a beautiful little girl around 18 months old playing in the sand. She had dark curly hair peeking our from under a sun bonnet and we said, ooh, we want one just that and we got one, even more beautiful. We said we hoped to give her the best of everything and I hope as she grows up she realises that materially she may not have had the best of everything but emotionally she did.

She is my beautiful shining star, one of the main reasons I get up every morning and my heart, mo chridhe.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Awww Happy Birthday to your baby girl!
It really is terrifying how fast the time flies, isn't it?
Have a wonderful day :o) xx

indigo16 said...

I do think the celebration should be for the mother, after all we did all the bloody work.
My eldest catches up this July, and like you I shake my head in disbelief at how quickly it has gone. I am seriously trying to do everything I can to keep her around another 3 years but I can feel her slipping away.
Did you ever read the Guardian column 'Living With Teenagers'? It is a fantastic read for both teenagers and adults and made me realise just how luckiy I was that my kids have chosen to stay on a relatively sane path.

A Woman Of No Importance said...

Gwennie, she is a treasure and you have brought her up in all the right ways (apart from the sneaky cigs, of course!), so she will know that material things don't count in this world, but the love of her mother always will! x

Anonymous said...

Awww happy bday to her! They do indeed grow up so fast. The last time I blinked, my beautiful baby girl turned 20. In a heartbeat she'll be 21 and the beautiful eldest will be 25. Enjoy them while you still have them there with you. Too quickly they grow up and move on with their lives.

Tim Atkinson said...

What a tribute! Happy Birthday to her and many more besides.

Laura said...

What a lovely post, that's the best birthday prezzie.

Frankies' Cornish Farmyard Ramblings said...

It doesn't seem that long that I was in a labour ward thinking what bad planning, an 18th and 21st in the same month of June. Well I have had 18 years to get to grips with it but am I any better prepared? No.
Frankie

Working Mum said...

What a lovely tribute. I love the magic finger story. My daughter thinks that if you blow at traffic lights they'll change! I also like the mental image I get of your daughter clapping her hands with glee. Long may she see such delight in life!

menopausaloldbag (MOB) said...

Oh you are so lucky to have each other. What a fabulously moving post - had me welling up for a mo.

Happy birthday to you both! After al, you were both there! X

Mean Mom said...

Lovely post! You are both very lucky to have each other. Happy Birthday to your eldest daughter!

TheOnlineStylist said...

Happy Sweet 17 to your beautiful first born! I can hear the pride in your post! x

Shirley said...

See, this is why I read you, AG. (well, one of the reasons . . .) You can get all sappy, but there's always enough humor in it to keep it from becoming syrup.
Happy Birthday to you both. :)

auntiegwen said...

pen - it truly is x but looking forward muchly to the girly blog meeting x

Alison - too true, 3 natural childbirths and no one ever gives me a bloody present ! I'll have a look online for the column

Fhina - I could have lamped her dad when he made mention of my sneaky fags, my beloved offspring think of me as whiter than white

Lisa - I do enjoy them, honestly, I know I bump my gums about them but I'm so glad I have them still in my nest

Tim - many thanks, I do know I'm lucky

Lolly - I think she preferred the camera although she was very excited about the purple false eyelashes I got her (purple is the colour de jour)

Frankie - I've got 3 years between the eldest as well, June 'll be great in yours if the builders have gone !

WM - don't worry, I bet Izzy as a grown up will revert to the Izzy you have now, it's very sweet

Mob - every day I am grateful for them all, they are the only really good thing I've ever done, xx

MM - she is making this birthday malarkey stretch, I believe it's officially lasting a week !

That girl - yep, pride just about covers it x

Shirley - hello my lovey, you understand perfectly, don't you ? xx

scrappysue said...

my eldest will be a 'YOLD' this year - 20!!! now tell me how did THAT happen???

auntiegwen said...

Sue - my lovey, despite the tattoos and the purple hair, WE got old ! x