My Baby Is 25

Do I feel old? Not EVERY day, but some. I'm in deep (#%U with Maggie. I left town at 6:00 a.m. on the 18th and spent the weekend at Sprucedale. I didn't take my cell phone and didn't get her called on her BIRTHDAY :o( and she was MAD. In my defense, she won't answer her phone before 10:00 a.m. so how could I call her and wish her a happy birthday? Any hooo...I did remember her birthday, and thought about her through out the day.
Her hospital birth announcement picture. A nice, healthy baby with red hair and blue eyes. Her dad had chosen "Andrea Elizabeth" as her name but when she got here, he said it doesn't fit. We were waiting on the nurses to clean her up and bring her to us in the recovery room and I started naming names...when I got to "Maggie" - Don said "that's it". Maggie didn't get a middle name (I don't have one either) but we always called her Maggie Mae - even thought of officially adding "Mae", just never did. Known as "Mags", "Baggie Maggie", "Margaret" "Magpie"...the list goes on and on. I've always said her song is "Maggie May" by Rod Stewart.

Born at 11:02 p.m. on Tuesday, September 18, 1984. (She shares being born on Tuesday with her sisters, Damara and Jenna.) My fourth and final child, she was different from the get go. Because she would be our last, Don finally agreed to come into the delivery room with her. He sat at my head and kept his head down on the pillow most of the time (he wasn't into blood and guts). Don and I had high risk pregnancies and I wasn't supposed to get pregnant with her but we did and she was my healthiest baby. She had B+ blood, different from Don, Damara, Jenna and Tad who all had A+. A fiesty attitude from day one, nothing has changed. She was a joy as a baby and I am so glad that we had the blessing of being her parents. Maggie has challenged me in more ways than I can tell but through this, she is my most compasionate kid. She is at ease with old people, I guess due to Mimi. A beauty at 5 months - red hair and gorgeous, big, blue eyes.An adorable three year old. I think Kamryn looks an awful lot like her mama.

Third grade - 8 years old. A joy to be around (most of the time)

She has had some real challenges in her life due to the choices she made and has overcome much. I am proud of her and the good mother she is. I am proud of her house-keeping. Her house is usually always neat and tidy (kid messes don't count because they never go away).

She is non-judgmental, but she does like a good fight, even if she has to start it or keep the (*#$

stirring. I am always after her for that, but I don't know if that will ever change.

Her wedding announcement pictures. Maggie has turned into a beautiful young woman and I am so honored to be her mother. We lock horns quite a bit, but she doesn't hold a grudge. She has so many good qualities - I hope she uses them to make life good for her family and herself. She is tall and thin and in many ways, reminds me of her dad.

I LOVE her beautiful red hair and blue eyes. She has Don's eyes and I see it more and more, the older she gets. I LOVE you, Maggie and hope that you know I do even when we butt heads. Happy birthday - Mom