Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Happy Birthday, Baby



Today, my daughter, variously known as Snoogs, Honey Bunches of Oats and Tigs, turns 21.

My daughter saved my life. Because of her, I gave up my carefree and erratic ways to help us both grow up. While I tried hard to do my best, I wasn’t perfect and I made many mistakes, but she rewarded me by becoming a wonderful person. She considers me her best friend (you can’t beat that.)

She goes through life full steam ahead. She is a spitfire of a girl; all of about five four, with big brown eyes and brown hair the color of mink. When I first looked into her eyes, I dubbed Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison her song.

Shortly after she was born, people told me that I looked too good to have just given birth; I looked so happy. I consider her my greatest creation.

In her first twenty-one years, she has avoided the major pitfalls of smoking, drugs, alcohol and promiscuous sex. She has a good, fulltime job and a meaningful, long-term relationship. She is a firefighter, an EMT and has taken up reading (finally.) She likes RenFaires, let’s me make her costumes and corsets, plays with swords, has a belly button ring but no tattoos and she has about fifty big hoodies. She’s good with her money, doesn’t give up easily, hates injustice and cares for the people around her. She is smart, fun, loves to do things and keeps me in touch with the wider world.

I love when she says, “I have a question…”

I love you, baby.

36 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday to you......Wonderful tribute to your daughter. Wishing you both continued sucess on friendship, love and understanding :)

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  2. Happy Birthday Brown-Eyed girl =D

    Congrats, Mom, on raising a well-rounded daughter.

    (I bet she wants to get even with you for the picture LOL)

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  3. Happy Birthday to Nessa's baby girl. And you should be proud to have raised such a wonderful young woman, Nessa.

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  4. Wow, now she can legally tell you about all those times you didn't know about before ;)

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  5. Happy Birthday to the Brown Eyed Girl.

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  6. Happy 21 Brown-Eyed Girl! May your next 21 bring you even more happiness, joy and love then the first.

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  7. I like "Snoogs" the best. ;-)

    Happy B-day to Snoogs!

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  8. Happy birthday to you both as it was a miraculous day for the two of you...enjoy and may there be many ore!

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  9. Happy Birthday to Snoogs,
    Happy Birthday to Honey Bunches,
    Happy Birthday to dear Oats,
    Happy Birthday to Tigs.

    Was I off-key?

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  10. Happy Birthday to your baby, Nessa. She sounds like a wonderful young woman - just like her mother.

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  11. Awww,,so very cool!

    Happy Birthday!

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  12. Happy 21st anniversary of the birth of your daughter. :)

    Happy Birthday to Snoggs. Many happy returns.

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  13. Happy birthday.

    /but Honey Bunches Of Oats?

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  14. You sound rightfully very proud, my eldest son is also 21 this year, and he too has done very well in life so far, I guess we're both very lucky.

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  15. Oh and number 3 is up, but don't rush over because number 4 will be going up later today as well.

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  16. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, you know!

    I LOVE this post! I have a 21 year old daughter, too.

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  17. Beautiful post! Happy 21 Birthday. :)

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  18. Hey! Where did my comment go?

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  19. that's a really lovely post from a really proud mum!

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  20. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

    i would never want to be 21 again. well, maybe if i had your daughter's head on my shoulders. she can balance a checkbook and insert a breathing tube? all i was good for at that age was drinking boonesfarm.

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  21. I'm a little late, but Happy Birthday, Snoogs!

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  22. Happy birthday to your baby. The fact that she makes you happy shows you were and are a good parent. Bad parents never seem to be happy with their children.

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  23. oooh, i'm so sorry to arrive late to this happy party! 21.... *looks wistful* i remember when my kids turned 21 -- well, mostly because it was just a couple of years ago.

    they don't stay "puppies" long, do they? nope, they sure don't. ah well, i have NO DOUBT the day was wonderful for you both! HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY, SNOOGS! : ) xox

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  24. I'm joining in with Dan's rendition......and I'm bringing him back into key. lol!

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO BOTH OF YOU!!!

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  25. Thank you all for your birthday wishes. My daughter is truly special and I am in no way prejudiced; D

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  26. Happy Birthday to the Brown-eyed girl, she sounds like a wonderful and gracious woman just like her mom.

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  27. A bit late I am---but hope your daughter had a WONDERFUL birthday.I could so relate to this post.
    May you both have many many wonderful moments of happy togetherness!

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  28. And thank you so much for your kind words on my blog.

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  29. 'In her first twenty-one years, she has avoided the major pitfalls of smoking, drugs, alcohol and promiscuous sex.'

    All part of life's learning curve- I think it's better to regret something you HAVE done, than something you haven't...

    I think I went through every pitfall going, but at 28, I think I have found Karma at last.

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  30. MJD: Thanks so much.

    PS: It's never too late for good wishes. Thank you and you're welcome.

    Crushed: One should not shun experience and I did not mean to suggest that she has never dabbled. She just has not been consumed to the brink of disaster. She has on occasion had one foot over the edge but has been able to step back.

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  31. Katie: I am very lucky to have her.

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  32. Ubermouth: I must have done something right sometime.

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  33. Ich gratuliere, Nessa! Gut gemacht!!

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