Saturday, July 9, 2011

In Celebration of Growing Wiser

I have changed as a momma over the course of the years.  Angel Daughter Number One truly blazed the trail for my other three Angel Daughters but in doing so, she missed out on things like pink hair and double(okay, maybe triple in one ear) piercings.  When AD1 was a teenager, I only allowed her to dye her hair with "natural colors", none of which are ever seen in a rainbow.   But now that I have raised three more teenage daughters and I have gotten to Angel Daughter Number Four who is seventeen going on eighteen, I have learned a thing or two about parenting and choosing battles and hair dyed in any color that one can imagine.  And you know what?

As long as she sticks to her curfew, is polite and courteous to everyone she meets, does well in school and keeps her sunny demeanor, if she would like to dye her hair pink, so be it.  I have learned one thing as a momma.  Hair grows out, but the effort, time, love, and sweat that goes into raising an excellent human being, never, ever does.
In celebration of my 49th birthday, I would love it if you would share some yummy chocolate cake with me!

*photo courtesy of Samir Hussein

And one of my daughters, may or may not be working with the couple above today during their visit to Southern California.  Shhhhhh!  It is a very top-secret gala and I promised I wouldn't mention any names.  So I'm not...

12 comments:

37paddington said...

Happy birthday, my dear friend!

And I so agree with you about picking one's battles. She is lovely, pink hair or no.

Ness said...

Happy, happy birthday dear Deb!

The cake looks delicious...Roger and I will share a piece.

I learned, too, through the first 2 children what battles to fight with the last one although the battles with the first 2 were nil compared to the last one....she has created enough for all 3 of them!

Your ADs are beautiful, polite, cheerful and successful because of you and Mark. Take a bow, please. Love you.

tj said...

..."Happy Birthday Angel Debra!" And wow - talk about CAKE! Whoa! ;o)

...Yeah, hair color doesn't matter. I know it's hard as a mother or stepmother to try and monitor the current fads and really, like you mentioned, if that child grows up to be a person you love & admire then so be it. Be pink. Purple even! *giggle* :o)

...Gorgeous photos too & gorgeous daughter!

...Many birthday blessings *<:o)

Laura Mauk said...

happy birthday to a most wonderfully loving mother and person...

Mark said...

Happy Birthday!
Thanks for the cake. It's my favorite kind. How'd you know?
Thank you, I'm learning to pick my battles. Johnny pushes me at every turn. Claire "may" be harder on me.
I hope that you have the best birthday weekend ever. m.

Miss A said...

Happy Birthday wonderful Deb! You are so great, and you are the mother I aspire to be (and I wished I had, well you, Angella, and a few of my acquaintances)!
You've picked the right battle, pink hair is awesome.
I hope your husband and daughters are giving you a great celebration.
And wow... the couple above is full of grace and class and would make one late princess very proud!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, sweet Debra! Wishing you many more years of birthdays and that those years be filled with love, happiness and good health.

I totally agree with you on what you said about parenting and the coloring of hair etc.

All of your daughters are gorgeous no matter the color of their hair and that is the truth. Hugs

Maria-Thérèse ~ www.afiori.com said...

Happy Birthday!!
She looks beautiful! Pink hair is so cute!

Um... wonder what your daughter may or may not be working on with that specific couple? :-o

Kathleen Botsford said...

I love the pink hair! AND I just got a lecture from my son this weekend on the fact he was not allowed to go to the mall alone and his younger sister was allowed to go to NYC for 3 weeks! Things do change....
Happy Birthday dear friend. I wish I could be there to share your fabulous cake!

Catherine Holman said...

Happy Birthday to such a sweet lady and that chocolate cake is amazing!

Mickey (Michel) Johnson said...

the first child many claim is the guinnea pig. i have always hated that term. i understand the sentiment behind it; however referring to any of my children as guinnea pigs will never do. i prefer to think that i raise them and they raise me. after all, i had never been a mother and well, they had never been a child either. in the end, i think we have all grown up and turned out quite nicely. and i love the pink hair! love and peace! miceky

Mickey (Michel) Johnson said...

happy birthday to you sweet one! you have grown up nicely! xo!

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