Baby Girl

This is my baby girl.  Otherwise known as ODD or DD #1.  (Oldest dear daughter, or dear daughter #1 - in case you couldn't figure it out.)  Today we went to CMU for student orientation.  How can that be possible?  I mean, look at her!  She can't be a day over 4! 

I know, I know.  She's 20 now and its time for her to do these kinds of things.  But I can't believe it.  Time has flown by.  I will really miss her when she leaves in the fall.  Thank goodness she'll only be 2 hours away, so if I need a fix, I can hop in the car. 

While this is bittersweet, I'm really excited for her.  I know she'll do really well, and make lots of friends and fit right in there.  I've never had to worry about her in that regard.  She was the one in preschool welcoming all the other new kids into the classroom, even though she was just as new as they were.  She was also the one telling the other kids just what toys they could play with that day.  I can remember, very vividly, standing in my kitchen with her when she was 3, and she told me "You aren't my boss."  I set her straight. 

When she was very small, I worked second shift at the hospital and it was usually 1 am before I could get to sleep, so every extra second of sleep I could squeeze in in the morning, was like gold.  She would climb out of her crib at about 7:30 a.m., climb into bed with me, and ask "Do you wanna be a dinosaur?"  She would then take my hand and forearm, and ask "What color do you wanna be?"  I'd mumble a color, and she would "paint" my hand and arm.  This allowed me to snooze a bit while she played until she got bored with it.  That is something I will never forget.  Seems that way with a lot in life; some of the most insignificant events turn out to be the most memorable.  I hope her memories of growing up in our house include a lot of love.