tick tock

As Annika says, “this is the first day I’ll say ‘7’ when people ask me how old I am”. She was so excited about this day, referring to it off and on for the past 4 weeks (months?). I think she was a little disappointed (although she didn’t say anything to me) that she didn’t get a laptop (a Christmas request) or iPod. It’s a struggle, wrestling with the idea of wanting to do anything for her versus enforcing some measure of moderation…

It’s wonderful to see my big girl grow up, but tough to acknowledge the Birthday’s, definitive proof that she is in fact growing up. In general parenting is all about celebrating the present while looking forward to the future, except for Birthday’s when you reminisce about (long for) the past.

Papa

P.S. I typed this on Annika’s Birthday, but for some reason it never got posted. Posting now.