Happy Birthday to Me.... and Amelia

So this past weekend I celebrated my 10th Mom Birthday. Not that I'm trying to make it all about me, but being a mom for 10 years is kind of a big deal. At least I think so. I think a 10th birthday is HUGE! (said exactly like Donald Trump. Or rather Jimmy Fallon as Donald Trump. You get the idea.) Try telling this to my (now) 10 year old daughter. The one for whom we actually celebrated all weekend. She was so blasé about the whole thing. That's kind of the persona she has developed. Very french. Very indifferent. I guess this is our new Pre-teen persona. It's so interesting to me because it is SO very opposite to my personality. Everything is huge and life altering and scary and happy and exhausting in my world. I live on high alert. Always. Amelia is extremely carefree. Made evident by the total lack of thought or emotion she had the other day when she asked me to sign her test with a big red "D" written on it. I said "Hold up there my usually straight "A" student. What's going on here?" Her response was remarkably relaxed and carefree "Oh yeah. That's my math test. I missed a bunch of questions because I forgot to check my work. No big deal." Ha! No big deal. That's cute. While I applaud your chill vibe it is most certainly a big deal. "Ok. Ill do better next time" and literally skips away. I was so caught off guard that I just said "Uh. Ok. You do that."  Why was there no crying? I don't know how to do confrontation or parenting in general without crying. Huh....

Anyway, back to my birthday. Because she is so, as I said, blasé about life, she informed me that she didn't want a cake or anything special for her (huge! Number 10!) birthday and just wanted to go catch a movie with some friends. Ugh. Are you kidding me?!?!? Mama NEEDS a party. Complete with cake and ice cream and singing and candles and Pinterest and balloons.... "Nah. nothing big. Maybe some cookies" Ugh Ugh. But Amelia, sweetie, Where will I put the candle for MY picture if there is no cake? (Do you a see how special I am trying to make this for Me? I mean HER.) Anyway, she politely agreed to let me put the candle in some sort of baked good so we (just family) could sing Happy Birthday. And we made special cookies for her friends to have at the movies. And when she was asleep I decorated the house and filled her room with balloons, because I just couldn't stop. All in all it was a perfect 10th birthday for both of us. She loved every second of it (even the balloons) because it was exactly what she wanted and nothing more.

Cinnamon rolls "almost" as good as birthday cake

Hedgehog cookies.
Amelia is obsessed with Hedgehogs these days. Why hedgehogs? 

I have to say, a birthday party at the movies really is the easiest thing ever.
These girls were so sweet and fun and they even let little brother tag along.
He wasn't going to miss Kung Fu Panda 3.

Mad libs and pizza with her 2 best friends.
A perfect end to her big day.

I get so excited and scared thinking about parenting "big" kids. I was scared of babies and toddlers, but their needs were more physical and less psychological. You know? I assumed that these kids would turn out to look and act just like me, but they are their own people. So unique and interesting and just fun to be around. Amelia's calm nature is truly amazing to me. She has a calm confidence that I really have never experienced. She doesn't care to have a big fuss made about her. She actually shies away from it. She has no desire to call attention to herself in a crowd or with her friends. She's happy to be their supportive friend who laughs at all the jokes, because she is just happy to be there. But then she gets on stage to act or dance or sing a solo and she shines. No nerves or awkwardness. Just complete control and confidence.

As I mentioned I am the complete opposite. I LOVE to be the center of attention. I celebrate my birthday for a whole month. Seriously, the entire month. No matter how hard I try to hold back, when I am with a group of people I always end up taking over the conversation. Feeding off the laughter of others (the Amelia's in the group). But standing on stage is absolutely terrifying to me. Singing alone? No way. I could never. I am not that confident. We are alike is so many ways, but it's our differences that really excite me and keep me on my toes.

I look forward to the next 10 years of parenting this one. She keeps it interesting.