Chick's Birthday (known as New Year's Eve to the rest of the world)

 At one point on Chick's birthday, I ran to the grocery store to get something. It was in the afternoon and I was positively shocked that there were so many people there buying stuff. It is never that busy during the day!

I remember wondering why there were so many people out getting food on her birthday. Then I remembered. It was New Year's Eve.

Although I've never really thought about it, we don't much celebrate New Year's Eve. I can remember when Hubby and I were first married, we would sit up and watch the ball drop on tv. We always made sure to get our first New Year's kiss and we often said something appropriately sappy to each other. And we would listen to our neighbors shoot fireworks before heading to bed.

But, then, one New Year's Eve, I was awakened by my water breaking (after a strange dream about getting ready to jump in the pool). Then I got to spend 12 hours in labor.

And everything changed.

We never celebrate New Year's Eve anymore. Now we celebrate Chick's birthday.

And this one was her 19th! yikes!!!

Can one be considered old because one has a 19 year old if she still has a 6 year old too? I guess I'll be finding out this year.

 One little tip about 19 year olds (especially ones with jobs):  there isn't much they need and what they want but can't buy for themselves is pretty expensive. It's hard to know what to get her at this point especially a week after Christmas. 

We did happen upon this panini maker. Seriously, she could keep Panera Bread in business by herself if she could afford it. So we thought that might be a good thing to stuff with a little cash (something she always likes to have on hand). And she was pretty excited about it -- with or without the cash.

In fact, she tried it out two days later.

I am seriously proud of the young woman she has become. And I look forward to seeing what is in her future. I know that she was worth every minute of that 12 hours... and the weirdo dream that preceded it.