Seems Like Yesterday...

I know. I know. For a blog about my daughter turning 8 years old, the title is a tad cliche'. Nothing else fits exactly how I feel right at this very moment. So please, bear with the cliche' and come with me on a journey through the life of an amazing young girl. Vivian was born January 19, 2001. My little angel. She brought so much joy into my life the minute she was puked out. Now before you get upset at my choice of words, you must understand that she was actually pushed out during a puking jag by her mother. The doctor actually said the puking made it happen. It was funny and touching and beautiful all at once. There was only one moment when there was any panic about her health. A nurse said she was not responding to audio stimuli so they were concerned she could not hear. She, very quickly, corrected that thought when she started to respond just fine. I like to think it was a precursor to the many years of selective hearing that Vivian has mastered at her tender age. She was a good baby. Very regular about her feeding times. She slept well and hit all of her milestones either right on time or early. I do need to qualify the sleeping well part with the statement that she slept well when she was damn good and ready. If there was ANYTHING going on that might even be slightly interesting, she would not fall asleep. It did have to be quiet for her to fall asleep. Once asleep she slept like, well, a baby. She was a good smiler and was always ready to entertain. She had charm even as an infant. Her first words were "Wass dat?". She was so curious. Wanted to know what everything was. Her "what's that?" attitude carried all the way through to today. She is a very curious and alert child. Let's not forget, though, that curiosity killed the cat and she has had her share of close calls. Her curiosity with her own waste led to a few clean ups of the crib and surrounding walls. Her curiosity with animals and love of them has gotten her close to getting bit, scratched or torn apart on more than one occasion. It has also made her a bright, well-adjusted, smart little kid and I am proud of her for that. I have so much to be proud of when it comes to my little princess that I could fill up pages and pages. Literally. She is empathetic, smart, polite, cute, understanding, inquisitive and so on and so on... She blows me away. There are so many times I look at her and wonder what I did to deserve such a great kid. It makes me tear up when I think of how amazing she is and how close I came to missing this birthday. Vivian, baby, Daddy loves you. Always. Don't forget it, Miss V. You will always be my little punkinhead no matter what!!! I love you all the way to Pluto and back and then to infinity.....