14 Years Old

Yesterday was my middle daughter’s birthday—14 years old! How did that even happen? I swear, I just blinked, and now here we are, one foot in the teenage years, one foot still clinging to her childhood. It’s absolutely crazy how fast time flew by. One minute I’m chasing her around in pigtails, and now she’s all grown up, blossoming into a beautiful young woman. Seriously, where did my little girl go?

Of course, we spent the day doing everything she loves (because obviously, it’s illegal to have an opinion on your kid’s birthday). From the moment she woke up, it was all about her. And you know what? I wouldn’t have had it any other way. We made sure she ate her favorite foods, and there was cake. Lots of cake. Because no birthday is complete without enough sugar to power an entire kindergarten class.

Then there were the gifts—she made sure to drop subtle hints leading up to the day. And by subtle, I mean I had a running list that she hand-delivered. Luckily, we nailed it. She got everything she wanted, and the house is now overflowing with wrapping paper remnants and teen excitement.

We went above and beyond to make sure the day was perfect, focusing on every little detail to make it as special as she is. Honestly, I felt like a party planner, chef, and chauffeur all rolled into one, but it was totally worth it when I saw her face light up. Her joy was contagious, and for just one day, the world revolved around her (okay, for 14 years it’s been that way, but who’s counting?).