11 Years Ago Today...

My entire life changed upon hearing a cry. At 2:35 pm, my oldest and first daughter entered this world. I had NO idea of how much she would change me.

I remember that the hospital had to kick me out of my room--I stayed WAY longer than I should have...but I was just PETRIFIED of taking this tiny 6lb, 15 oz little thing away from the people who knew how to take care of her. I was the baby of 7 kids...born so spaced out from the others that I may as well have been an only child. I had no friends who had baby brothers or sisters, I never babysat (didn't have the patience--funny, huh? considering what I do now for a living...), and I had never really even held a baby, much less feed it, change it, keep it alive!

I was only 22 years old, married for a little over a year, and suddenly, I was a Mommy. It took a little bit, but as I got to know Kelsey, and she got to know me, we found our groove. She was a Mommy's girl completely. Now, she is fast becoming a little lady.

Kelsey is amazing to say the least. She is one of the most intelligent people that I have ever met (of ALL the TAKS tests-reading, math and science-she only missed 2 questions!), she is one of the most creative, and the most empathetic children that I have ever met. She is a giver by nature, very sensitive, very emotional, and sacrifices herself often to please or help others. She is the child that all the moms tell me they want their daughters to be best friends with, the girl that all the girls either love or envy, and (unfortunately) she is loved by many an elementary school boy. NOW--that all being said--she is also entering her preteen years and we have definitely had to redefine our roles with one another many times in the last couple of years. I do see the angst starting to come through---the "woe is me" teenage years are upon us. God help me!

This Fall, she starts middle school (YIKES) and it won't be too long before she is in high school, and then....I can't even think about it...she has been instructed that she is not allowed to move out until she is married and not allowed to marry until she finishes college...I know, wishful thinking.

But TODAY, she is only 11 years old and while I am totally dreading the future ahead of us filled with mother/daughter disagreements, dates, proms, boyfriends, heartache and tears, I am so looking forward to seeing what kind of young woman blossoms in front of me. She is amazing now, but she will be even more so when she is older.




Kelsey at one year old---one of the very first pics I ever took--with my trusty Minolta 35mm SLR camera! She is the reason that I am a photographer--having her awakened a creative side that I did not even know existed before.





And just a few weeks ago...(her 11 year old photos will have to wait until I have more time--hopefully, that will be before she turns 12)



Happy Birthday, Kelsey!! I cannot wait to spend the entire day with just you...having fun and celebrating one of the best things that ever happened to me--having you!!