Don't Blink

"May the good Lord be with you down every road you roam.

And may sunshine and happiness surround you when you're far from home.

And my you grow to be proud, dignified and true.

And do unto others as you'd have done to you.

Be courageous and be brave.

And in my heart you'll always stay forever young." ~ Rod Stewart

My baby turned 14 this week.

I'll say it again. MY BABY turned 14 this week. And, in another month, she will officially be in high school. The sadness we feel at the thought of an empty nest in a few years is hard to even describe. It seems all we've ever done is raise children! And to think the last one is almost self sufficient feels impossible to me.

I swear it was just the other day that we were bringing her home from the hospital - all 8 pounds and 8 ounces of her. We felt so confident in our parenting abilities at that juncture because we'd already successfully raised an almost-three year old. We were old pros - or so we thought.

Maybe we should have taken the hint when we would tell people that her name was Sadie and the response almost always included a story about a grandmother, aunt, great grandmother or cousin named Sadie being a "spitfire" or "had a lot of personality."

Or maybe when she reached for the amniocentesis needle IN UTERO, we'd have seen the proverbial writing on the wall.

But, honestly, nothing could have prepared us for having a true family clown. We now know that our lives would have been very boring without her. And no amount of preparation would do her justice.

Here's the simplest way for me to give you a real feel for Sadie in the fewest words possible:

S - Selfless  Sadie is fierce when it comes to protecting and caring for others. She will right every wrong - and call out those who treat others poorly. She would give up her last dollar to someone who needed it - and will do everything in her power to make others feel included. She frets over upsetting others - even when she knows she's right. And she is always the first to try to make a situation better.

I just like this one.

;)

 
A - Adorable I know I'm biased. But she's pretty freakin' adorable. For a kid who had virtually no hair to speak of when she was little (compared to the luscious locks her sister sported), she sure has turned out to be a beauty. And she doesn't care - which makes her even more adorable.

One of my favorites...

Screenshot of her laughing. **LOVE**

D - Determined When she puts her mind to something, Sadie will prevail. Never underestimate her bullheaded "git 'er done" attitude because she will push through and prove you wrong. I'll never forget suggesting that volleyball was "her sport" once when we were talking about basketball. She made more goals that game than every before because she wanted to show me that basketball was "her sport" too.

I - Independent  This one can definitely be blamed on genetics. Sadie thinks for herself and isn't swayed by popular opinion. You can count on her to make her own decisions after she's weighed her choices. And, even when she makes a wrong decision, she stands admits it and moves on.

Peace!

"Mommy, let's take a selfie."

E - Exuberant The kid is silly. From the earliest of days, she would go straight for the laugh. I can only imagine this attribute is common to every comedian's personality. You can count on her for any and all comedic relief. Examples:

Cheese!

Sadie's favorite past time is dressing up her dog.

Boobs are always funny.

So.. there ya go. That's Sadie in a nutshell.  Our precocious teenager who is growing up way too fast. If you have kids, savor each moment. It sure seems as though they don't last long enough.

And, above all, enjoy the laughter those family clowns provide. We sure do love ours.