To My Daughter...On Her Birthday

I looked at the blog posts I wrote on April 24th going back seven years. I wondered if I wrote about my daughter on this particular day.

Turns out, I did.

Today my daughter becomes an adult, as far as the law is concerned, at least. She can vote. She can do other stuff eighteen-year olds do.

Parents often times talk about how fast their children grow--how time somehow got away from them. I remember hearing it. Now I'm saying it. I look at pictures of my baby girl and remember her falling asleep as I rocked her, singing to her and reading her stories, her laugh and smile, the way we did her hair with a single pony tail pointing straight up. She grew up with her mom and a house full of boys. She took gymnastics and later ballroom dance. Now she knits, she loves performing, she reads her favorite novels over and over again.

She's also spending time studying colleges and majors, figuring out not only who she is but what she wants to become. The joy of watching them grow up is in stark contrast to the pain of knowing those times are gone forever. There is opposition in all things, after all. The trick is to enjoy the journey. 

So, here's to you, baby girl. You can no longer be called that, at least in the eyes of the law, but to me some things will never change. I hope you have a wonderful birthday that will carry you throughout the year and for the rest of your life.

Love dad.

Watching "Oliver," On My Daughter's Birthday, With Her On Stage...

Last night I had the opportunity to watch an excellent production of Oliver at Centerpoint Legacy Theatre. And to make the night even better, my daughter was in the show. And to improve things even more, it was her birthday.

The show marks an important milestone for my daughter. She was cast as an adult, or more specifically, she was cast as a non-child. My daughter looks younger than she actually is, and it made her day when she found out she would not be an orphan, or one of the street kids. They even gave her a solo, which she rocked (my bias is duly noted...).

The show was wonderful. The leads had amazing voices which were only matched by their acting abilities. It was a first-rate production. And I challenge you to find a meaner-looking/acting Bill Sikes than Silas Stott. Good luck, is all I have to say.

The show runs until May 13th and my daughter's in the Mon/Wed/Fri cast, but both casts are stacked with talent--a bad show you will not see.

Sharing the theatrical experience with my daughter was a blast. Since my birthday falls during the winter holidays and I've done a lot of Christmas shows, I've spent many a birthday on stage in front of an audience. At the theatre last night I told everyone I knew that it was my daughter's birthday. I don't know if it enriched their experience, but I didn't care. I was a proud papa.

My Little Girl...

"I am so tired," my daughter said with a sigh. "But I can't wait until tomorrow." I looked at my daughter's tired face. She did have a busy day and I'm sure she's going to sleep well tonight.

 

"Why can't you wait until tomorrow?" her younger sibling asked. "Because it's my birthday!" came the reply. "Just think," I said. "This is your last night being the age you are now. Tomorrow you'll be a year older. How do you like that?" "I can't wait," she said. "Actually, I won't officially be older until around 2pm--that's when I was born."

 And so my daughter turns another year older tomorrow. I can't imagine my life without her. She brightens up any room she's in. She makes every day better and I love her more than I can adequately say. Happy birthday, you little daughter of mine!