Friday, June 12, 2009

Regarding Birthdays


Yesterday was Katie's 18th birthday. It's funny how as a mom you think back to the day of your child's birth, especially on significant birthdays. I was induced on my due date because Andy had been so large (9 pounds, 5 ounces), and second babies are typically larger. Lord help me! Thankfully she was a pretty typical 7 pounds, 2 ounces. When you first bring home a newborn you can hardly wait until the baby gets old enough to sleep through the night. It's hard to imagine that as they grow up you will be awake nights for reasons other than a newborn's cry. It seems that I no more watched my baby walk into the doors of the school for the first time than I was watching her walk across the stage at graduation.

Jim and I were reflecting back on when we turned 18. It was a big deal because not only could you register to vote, someone would take you out and buy you your first drink. Not so today, and I suspect that since we just completed an election, registering to vote won't be too big of a deal for her either, at least right now.

To celebrate this milestone birthday we took Katie and a friend to our favorite steak place, Citizen Kanes in Kirkwood. Neither of the girls had been there before, and I think it is now their favorite steak place as well.

As a combination graduation/birthday present, Katie will be traveling to Seoul, South Korea to stay with Ji, an exchange student who graduated from WGHS last year and now attends Mizzou. Katie leaves on the 20th for a two week stay. Now we just have to hope the North Koreans keep their missiles to themselves! I think a few more sleepless nights are in our future...

1 comment:

Mrs. Wryly said...

The gift of travel, plus there is some symbolism of "letting her go" to grow! NICE!

Yes, they can keep their darn missiles. We don't need 'em here.

Cookie cake looks yummy.