On March 14, 2000

I gave birth to my daughter at 9:22pm via ceasarean section (unplanned). She came out at 8 lbs, 21.5 inches long and had a head full of black hair. The realization of being a mother hit me when I had to take her back to the hospital to have her bilirubin levels checked for jaundice and I said, "I am here for my daughter's bilirubin check". All of a sudden I thought, I am a mother. I am responsible for this little life in front of me for at least the next 18 years, well, technically speaking, but I will be a mother for the rest of my life.

At her first birthday party she wasn't quite walking yet but scooted herself all over the place, going up to a sliding glass door and playing with a puppy that was on the outside of that door.



At her second birthday party we stayed at home and had a low-key birthday party.

At her third birthday party we knew it was the last one we were going to have in California as we were planning a move to Washington State later in May. It was held at McDonald's and sometimes it feels like it was only yesterday that we had that party.

At her fourth birthday party I ordered this delicious chocolate and raspberry cake from a friend of my SIL's and we had another low-key party at my SIL's house, this was before my nephew was born.

At her fifth birthday party we celebrated with the GPIL's at their house, my sister and mother had flown up for the weekend.

At her sixth birthday party my daughter invited her close friends from our apartment complex and we went next door to a pizzeria (which is now closed).

And we just had her seventh birthday party last Saturday at a place in Bellingham called Tube Time, which was run by teenagers or so it seemed (some with major attitude problems, which is one reason I will never go back). She invited two of her classmates and I invited a fellow friend and her four kids, she happens to have first graders as well at the school and my daughter knew them. They had a blast playing on the rolling slides, in the ballpit, and climbing through all of the tubes. Despite a partially crazy experience, it was a fun day for her. We took her out to Red Robin for dinner after that because she loves that place (who wouldn't? Bottomless fries, oh yeah!).


So another year and another birthday has passed and she's one year older now, which has me thinking back to her first birthday and saying, "where did the time go?".

Sometimes I miss that little baby of mine who would fall asleep in my arms at night...but I think of how much she has grown and I am a proud mother.

With that, I wish you all a very happy St. Patrick's Day! I always thought we were Irish on my father's side but found out about maybe 5-6 years ago that we are actually Scottish!