Thursday, March 31, 2011

My Mother's Day is today

Because nine years ago today, this happened to me:

And I've been grateful every day since that I am her mom.

This morning she awoke to a room strewn with silk flowers. In a rare stroke of creative genius, I saw the package of 12 leis on clearance for $3.48 at Target as an opportunity for birthday magic. Last night Joel and I snipped half of them apart and compiled the individual flowers into a bowl, with similar results (though on a smaller scale) as the balloon extravaganza last year. Static is a spunky mistress. As we tried to get them inside the bowl, they stuck to our hands, to the outside of the bowl, to anything but the INSIDE of the bowl. Seriously, they would jump back out onto the carpet. And of course we're doing this at 11:30 at night, so hilarity ensued.

But the effect was achieved. A couple leis decorated her wrought iron headboard. I asked her later what she thought and she acted it out: sitting up, looking around, then clapping and squealing, "It's beautiful for my birthday!"

Last year I mourned that she was another year older. This year, I'm embracing it. She is a person. She can have actual conversations. She is FUN. And I couldn't imagine I would love her more than when she was born, but each year proves that loving just gets bigger.

Last weekend Joel took just Ainsleigh up to ski. Donovan had a soccer game and Joel was considering the just-Ainsleigh option, but also knew she might want to stay home. One of the men he is working for mentioned he was taking his oldest daughter to visit the college campus she would be attending in the fall. Joel asked if he ever thought he'd have a college student. "No," he said, after a pause. "I don't know what happened. There were the first nine years, and then suddenly she's 18 and I don't know where the time went." The thought that Ainsleigh was turning nine in a week flashed like a neon sign in his mind and in almost a panic, he thought, "Come on, Ainsleigh, we're going to go bond!" I think we both feel the urgency of making the most of the time we have.

I want her to wake up every day, clapping and squealing, "It's beautiful for me!" Because if I've learned anything recently, it is that the world is beautiful and each day is precious.

Happy Birthday to my See-see, my Miss A, my firstborn, my Ainsleigh. You are a gift and wonder, and I celebrate you.

5 comments:

PaloAltoCougar said...

This morning after her grandma and I performed the usual (presto and fortissimo) chorus of "Happy Birthday" on the phone, your mom asked, "So, Ainsleigh, how is your day going?" Her response, an enthusastic "Very well!," really hit me, both for her spirit and her mature use of the adverb. Quite the kid. She deserves much beauty in her life. I'm glad she has it.

NancyO said...

Ainsleigh and her parents are all fortunate to have each other!

Lisa said...

I love this :) And I love love love love LOVE that you do cool things like decorate your kids' rooms for their birthdays. Such a cool idea.

...and did you take any pictures of the room? Because I'd love to see that!

laura said...

And of course I got all teary. I was telling Marisa the other day about how there were like 8 of us in the room with you when Ainsleigh was born. Such an exciting day! Glad she had a great one yesterday.

Annie said...

This picture of Ainsleigh is just perfect!