And she's mine...

December 20, 1996.

2:28 pm

This is the exact moment my life achieved awesome status. After 17 hours of hard labor, Alison Haley made her debut, bright eyed and ready to take on the world. She was the most beautiful butterball I had ever seen. And she was mine. Well, technically she was Ben's too, but you know where I'm headed with this. She tipped the scales at a whopping ten pounds and made those other babies in the nursery look like wusses. And she was mine. I remember them handing her to me that first time. We stared at each other for a bit, sizing one another up. I'm sure she was thinking "who is this puffy faced, crazy haired creature?". At that same time, I was thinking "all that I've done wrong in my life and God still trusted me with this perfect person". It was then that I buried my face in her belly and cried like a baby. She was beautiful and perfect. And she was mine.

That baby turned into a toddler, full of wander and curiousity. She had to touch EVERYTHING. She loved to eat and always had a nook in her mouth, and a spare in her hand. She smiled all of the time. She had the cutest little dimple when she smiled. And she was mine.

That toddler turned into a percocious tiny adult. Always asking "why?". She loved to have her picture taken. Loved to wear hats. Loved to hold my hand. Loved to be with her trusty companion, Lexie. She loved life. And she was mine.

That tiny adult turned into grade schooler who took on anything that came her way. She gave 100% to whatever was thrown at her; homework, sports, debating teachers. She stood her ground and learned to love to protect the underdog. She became a nurturer. And she was mine.

Today, that wonderful creature has turned into the most amazing young woman. She amazes me everyday. Her love of knowledge, even though foreign to me, is awe inspiring. She is whip-smart and can carry on a conversation about anything. She still supports the underdog. She can't stand injustice. She has a wicked sense of humor. She's hysterical and makes me laugh more than anyone I've ever known. She's beautiful, inside and out. And she's mine.

December 20, 2014 

12:00 am

This is the exact moment that tiny baby, MY TINY BABY, became an adult. I can't believe that we are already at this point. It still feels like yesterday that they were handing her to me for the first time, and now, I'm about to hand her off to the world. (By the way, world, you better put your seat belt on!). She is amazing. She is kind. She is beautiful. She is funny. She is a lover of animals. She's headstrong. She's independent. She's fierce. And she is mine.

Happy birthday, my baby. You complete me.

Thank you, Vickie, for finally telling our secrets...

FINALLY!! VS has finally printed a catalog for the every day woman and I could not be happier! It's always so depressing to see the swim suit catalogs arrive in the mail, but this season they have answered my prayers. While scanning the pages I realized that they have taken the plight of the average, hard working woman, and catered to us. It's about time. I was so happy to see this picture of a gal, who was clearly enjoying a great day at the beach, when suddenly her back locked up!

This happens to me all the time, so I immediately knew that painful pose. Look at the anguish on her face. I feel ya girl, I really do! I was just thinking "I wish I could tell her what kind of stretches to do to eleviate that back pain" when, lo and behold, the next page did it for me! 

These folks are on the ball. They knew just how to help her in her ailments, for that is the prefect stretch! They must have a trainer on the ready at these shoots!

While skimming further, I saw a picture that ALL of us have experienced while fighting the waves of the ocean... The dreaded 'Where the crap did my sunglasses go!?" As you can see, she is very concerned about this. I would like to know how many sunglasses are lying on the bottom of the ocean. I know I've donated a dozen or so myself. 

Now the last one does not only pertain to woman, but no one wants to see hairy armpits (**YA HEAR THAT MADONNA???**) so they used a woman for the example. It's the 'OH.EM.GEE. I FORGOT DEODORANT' pose that we all know! Now, honestly, I had no idea I could make taking a whif of my pit so sexy, but you better bet that I will be employing this technique this summer! 

I sincerely want to express my gratitude to Vickie for finally allowing us non-sized 2 gals to be represented in her inner circle. Who knew you were a friend to us all?  Why else would you have such crazy poses, if not to make us all feel included!? Kudos!

Just in case you missed Madonna's recent pic, here you go... You're welcome.

First breakdown of 2014 is on the books...

As I looked at Ben last night at midnight and wished him a Happy New Year, we talked about all the milestones that would happen in 2014. He turns 40 in September, I hit it in November, and I said "Our baby will be 18 this year". It sounded so shocking that I had to repeat it. THAT'S when the waterworks started and I couldn't do anything to stop them. I'm not talking the tears that you get when you watch a Folgers commercial. I'm talking full on, size-of-quarters tears. He looked at me with that familiar stare (90% love/protectiveness, 5% is she having a breakdown, and 5% this chick is nuts) and said "Why are you crying?". I responded in between gasps "I have no idea". It's just the reality that my day to day life will be ever changed when she hits that magic number. That's the age they are when they go away. That's the age where they gain their freedom and you lose some of the stronghold you've held for all those years. That's the age where they are responsible for their own decisions and you are 'off the hook'. But mostly, I'm afraid, that it's the age where she will no longer need me like she does now. It's A LOT of realization to smack a mom in the face, especially 3 hours after her bedtime and two glasses of wine. I know that she will be an awesome 18 year old and I pray that she always remembers that I am ALWAYS here, at 18 or 81, for she will ALWAYS be my baby. I am so proud of her and I can't wait to see the kind of awesome woman she becomes, but I am not ready for her to be an adult. I guess I have time…she has only been 17 for 12 days :) I love you Ali. Please go easy on me this year. Understand that I may try to revert to a time when you were tiny and relive the great times we had when you were a wee one. If I need to hold you and rock you like a baby, please let me. If I ask to feed you at dinner, let me. And do me favor, fake a nightmare and ask to sleep with me in the middle of the night. You already think I'm nuts, so I might as well give you plenty to discuss with your shrink when you're older.

This picture taken 2 weeks ago

This picture was taken yesterday

I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU!