Four and Many More

Where did the time go?
It didn't seem that long ago when I was at my wife Margie's side when the squirming organism emerged from under the cloth covering her lower half after almost fifteen hours and brought into the world from her safe dark haven where she spent the past nine months.
One week ago this past Friday marked the four year anniversary of the event that began when Margie said "I think my water broke".
So much has happened.
Moving from formula to solid food after just getting used to getting up in the middle of the night to give her her bottle.  Her first experience with chocolate.  Her first steps in September 2010.  Her first words and her who-flipped-a-switch talking and interaction that hasn't made her shut up for a moment since July 2, 2011.
Our daughter Savannah has been a rollercoaster ride of laughter, tears, failures and accomplishments all at the same time since her debut in this world on July 19, 2009.
We've been through daycare, pre-school, tumbling classes, swimming lessons, with her latest interests being ballet class and soccer.  This little girl has been through so much in the first four years of her life.
One can only help to wonder how much more she'll be through during her childhood years.  Even my own childhood memories are fading as I've grown older.
It's amazing how one can grow with their child as well.
You learn to be less selfish, listen harder, gain greater patience, and are more cognizant of every word and action from you having an effect on your child.
Positive and negative, I might add.
With a small child, birthdays aren't celebrated in one fell swoop.  Especially if they happen during the week. In this case, it was a three-day birthday extravaganza.
There was her official birthday on July 19th, celebrated with the "July Birthday Club", which consists of my father-in-law, my niece Mia, and Savannah.  The club lunch was held at Hardwood Cafe that day.
Then the next day there was the party with her little friends, one of whom celebrated his own birthday earlier that day.  Two birthday parties in one day...just about every small child's blood fantasy.
If that weren't enough, there was yet another party the day after, with the extended family members, along with her 'big gift' that came in the shape of a 16-inch Mongoose bicycle, a gift from my parents.
The Berenstain Bears are an important part of Savannah's reading.  My wife and I particularly enjoy the lessons taught in these books, especially the ones with the more Christian-themed "Living Lights" series.
One particular story is called "Too Much Birthday".
Sister Bear is overwhelmed by a noisy and crowded sixth-birthday party, though she is the guest of honor. It's proof positive that even kids have their limits.  We adults can only internalize our frustrations and reach for the closest 'legal beverage' after all is said and done in order to begin the decompression process.
But a kid doesn't know this.  They haven't experienced all the life lessons an adult has and has no other outlet other than acting out emotionally.
If only we could get away with that.



NEXT WEEK:  Wheels and Deals