Thursday, September 11, 2014

I Am A Mother Of A Ten-Year-Old


Argh! 

How is this possible?
That an entire DECADE has passed since I first waddled out of the hospital, all doughy in my middle, carrying this tiny, tiny baby who would change my life forever?

I have been A Mother for ten years.
Ten. Years.

Funnily, I don't feel like I'm a better mom today than way back then, when I'd have moved heaven and earth to respond to this child's smallest whimper. These days, I'm more like, "What? You got a cut? There're band-aids in the bathroom. You know where they are. And shut the drawer. Last time you forgot."

Well. My Emily is ten today. And I wrote her another of my verse thingummys. Be warned, though: this one is a bit more flowery than my usual limerick, but I figured having a 2-digit birthday kind of warrants a bit of sentiment. Thought you all might like to see what I'm like when I get all emotional and stuff.



A little girl was born this day,
Ten years ago, and far away,
To parents so excited they
Could scarce believe their eyes.

They captured every waking pose,
From toothless smile to wrinkled nose,
With nibbles of her salty toes,
They giggled and they sighed.

They chased her as she learned to crawl
And scooted forth from wall to wall;
She rose on shaky feet, to fall
In safe, awaiting arms.

Then Ball! And Baby! Cat! And Bird!
She found her voice in bubbly word,
Each syllable her listeners heard,  
Held captive to her charms.

Then climb and jump and ride and run
Like circus acts in snow and sun -
All her milestones, one by one,
She mastered as she grew.

And over time, they did behold,
Her personality unfold-
Storm and sunshine, bright and bold,
All beautiful and new.

Write a story, sing a tune,
Craft away an afternoon,
Growing older all too soon,
As years go dancing by.

Then into school and swimming teams,
Rings and bars and balance beams,
Friendships bursting at the seams,
She spread her wings to fly.

Now soaring still, our daughter be,
So much of life ahead to see
And claim with everything that she
Believes is hers to earn.

And as she runs on winged feet
From burrow to uncharted street,
Her angels go before to meet
Her life at every turn.

For this beloved September child 
With laughing eyes and sweetest smile
Is ever cherished all this while
(’tis longer than it seems).

No memories of anxious thought,
Those early sleepless nights as naught;
We only know the joy she’s brought
Exceeds our wildest dreams.


Happy birthday, daughter mine!


15 comments:

  1. Beautiful limerick for a beautiful girl. Happy Birthday, Emily!!

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  2. Happy birthday Emily. My big girl just turned 9 at the end of August. It's scary how fast the years whiz by.

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  3. Happy birthday Emily! My girl just turned 11 at 27 of August!

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  4. Wow. That made me cry it's so deliciously sweet and true of me and my babies (the oldest is three)

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  5. Happy Birthday Emily :)
    And happy mommy-versery Lier ;)
    Mine will be nine in a couple of months, still cant believe that.

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  6. That was delightfully touching with the exact right amount of sentiment. My oldest turned 10 this past year too. Blows my mind.

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  7. Happy birthday Emily and thanks for sharing this LiEr. You made me cry for the babies my boy and girl were, and the lovely young adults they're becoming. Motherhood surely is the greatest source of pure joy and gut-wrenching terror the world can offer.

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  8. Happy Birthday Emily!
    Ten is such a great age!

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  9. Lovely. Happy birthday, Emily. My older grandson has just turned five. I can't believe how fast time has flown!

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  10. I love your poem. Happy birthday, Emily!

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  11. Beautiful poem. Beautiful daughter.

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  12. awwww...beautiful poem. Happy birthday Emily!

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