Day 13 - Learning To Accept My Children Are Getting Older

Today my daughter turns 12. I always find myself a bit sad on my kid's birthdays. I find myself thinking about sweet babies they were, how they would light up when I walked into a room when they were toddlers or how they ran into my arms when I picked them up from preschool. I get stuck in time, wishing for just one more day with them as small children. Oh, how the time goes by, it isn't fair, but it is a fact. They will continue to get older, at the same pace the rest of us grew up and I have to accept it.

So, today on my daughter's 12th birthday I resolve to be happy. I am raising a bright, spirited girl. She is nice to everyone, accept her father and I when she wants her own way. She is not a typical preteen, meaning I never hear about her fighting with friends, as she does not yet participate in that behavior. Time will of course tell, but since she hasn't started yet, I doubt it will happen. She is passionate about her beliefs. This is a child who has gone 5 years without eating meat because she strongly believes that it is wrong to kill animals for the benefit of humans. She stands up for herself and her siblings. We had an incident this week when she defended her siblings and would not back down no matter how hard it was for her. The list can go on, but I will stop at that.

I need to do this for myself because 3 times a year, on a day that brings my kids great happiness and joy, I am sad. I never let them see it, but it is there. With every year that passes I see 3 children who are turning into fabulous people, my husband and I can take some credit for who they are becoming.