HAPPY 18TH BIRTHDAY

OMG my daughter is EIGHTEEN!!!

How did that happen?

Where did all that time go? She was only 12 when I started writing this blog for goodness sake….

It’s been a helluva week. World Travel Market very inconveniently clashed with her birthday. Which made it difficult for me to get away or lavish attention on her like she expects. I did OK, just had to do things in advance and pretty much run everywhere to get everything done.

She wanted to give blood on her birthday which was particularly admirable I thought. She went up to town, donated her pint and had lunch with her father. Came back and met me for a wonderful meal out together, during which her lovely older brother turned up to surprise her from university. On the Friday night she had some girlfriends over for champagne and pizza (they go surprisingly well together) before going out clubbing.

So, I just want to take this moment to say how proud I am of her, she’s getting her offers in for university at the moment, she’s working hard, she has plans, many friends, a great sense of humour, she’s beautiful and kind and I honestly couldn’t wish for a better daughter – in fact, although for some unknown reason they say you shouldn’t be friends with your children – I disagree – we couldn’t be closer – yes, she is my child, but I would happily search out her company even if she wasn’t – she is also my friend. I love, trust and respect her. She makes me laugh and we have an enormous amount in common. We are immensely close and I would fight to the death for her (as I would for all my children of course – but, just in case either of you two boys are reading this – no she is not my favourite child, I don’t have a favourite child, I love you all equally very very much, but this is about her – wait your turn….) and I am already struggling with how hard I’m going to find it not having her around next year when she leaves home. I think she will just have to take me with her.

So this is what I wrote many years ago about her….not much has changed (apart from her height and the fact that I now need to add “alcohol” to the list of things she steals!):-

“Twelve years ago today I met my beautiful, tall, skinny, funny, confident daughter. She arrived two weeks early and emerged into the world calmly and relatively painlessly, compared to my two boys who fought for days to stay within my body (or perhaps it was my body that refused to let them go). When we met I was astounded. She was so perfect. My heart enlarged a little bit more and as with all my children my heart has subsequently felt as if it spends more time on the outside of my body than on the inside.

She is an almost daily reminder of my youth. She steals my mascara, my Ugg boots, my clothes. She infuriates me sometimes because we are so similar, but there is nothing I wouldn’t do for her (apart from pick her up from her disco on Saturday night) and I love her more than she will ever know.

Happy birthday my gorgeous pea in the pod girl. I wouldn’t change you for the world”.

So here are a few photos taken over the last few days – I should really add some of her as a baby BUT DON’T HAVE TIME!!

Princess on the loo. This photo really makes me laugh:-