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As a mother I think I just had a heart attack! My "baby" Courtney - who recently turned 13 going on 26 - just went out to the door to the Jingle Ball...the 7th grade version of the Christmas dance! And I think...no I know...I'm going to cry now that I'm alone and can get away with it! Once I quit shaking like a leaf that is. Oh what a day!
We had picked out a dress. Me being a sensible mother, I convinced her to buy a basic black one with short sleeves and some little glittery decorations on it. And high black boots. You know those "Twiggy" boots that are in style again. "It's going to snow and I want your feet to be warm." I said. She frowned as we paid for the purchases which had to be part of her birthday gift because she knew we couldn't afford to not call it a
gift. We don't splurge on new clothes often, but she said not a word, aside from the usual ever-so-softly muttered, "Okkkkkkkkkkk mom! WHATever!" I just knew she'd look lovely in her new outfit!
For the past 3 weeks I have fingered that dress every day as I passed by it hanging in the hallway in anticipation of this moment and wondered how I would take seeing my little one as a grown up angel instead of a little girl. I knew it wasn't going to be easy...but this was worse than expected! When today finally got here I was a wreck!
I guess, unbeknownst to me, Courtney had made it a point to have a chat with her 19-year-old about-the-coolest-big-sister-ever-born sibling Jen and explained her plight. She didn't want to hurt my feelings but while the outfit ***we*** bought was "ok" and "functional" as well as "warm" it wasn't chic, stylish, hip, keewwwwwwwwwwlll...or gay as I guess they now say! (Oh brother...that does not sound like a description for a dress to me...I thought it meant happy!)
So last Saturday the two of them went off using the excuse of doing some Christmas shopping for their dad and secretly used Courtney's birthday money from him to buy a new dress....no sleeves...no back...very short and tight! And a tiny lace shawl with lots of fringies on it! Big sister provided the perfect shoes to complete the outfit. And when I found out quite by accident what they had done, I had to admit that yes...it looked just like something I would see other people's daughter's wearing to a school dance. But I still didn't like it.
So after having one heck of a day here racing around and trying to finish Christmas presents before the last day of school ended and my workshop gets invaded by bored kids, and trying to prepare some sort of supper for the many people who parked themselves in my living room unexpectedly to help with this "project" of getting Courtney ready for her big night, it was finally time for her to get dressed!
All hands on deck and a short time later, I must tell you...she looked adorable!
From the tiniest bit of makeup (which I was happy to be asked to apply...my only part in the making over of my baby) to the gorgeous although tiny Christmas-red dress...to the lacy black shawl with the sparkling glitter woven through it and fringe hanging down to her waist...to the ever-so-sophisticated looking french-twist-that-they-don't-call-a-french-twist-any-more-mom in her no longer baby blonde but now dyed the perfect shade of Christmas auburn hair, my baby looked incredible! And very much like a young lady of 13 and not at all like "my baby"! ::sigh::
I had to snicker lovingly at her sister's boyfriend, David, (who kindly agreed to be the chauffeur) helping the two girls to the car, racing back for the forgotten camera and fussing over them so much that he warmed up the car half an hour ahead of time. Big sister insisted "the brat" take a blanket to keep them warm on the way! As I watched them pile into the car I was bursting with pride!
Despite the many hardships my family goes through sometimes, at this very moment I feel truly blessed. To have a daughter who would go through all of this for her little sister. To have taught her to find a boyfriend who would be so cooperative. And to have my youngest all grown up and looking very much the lady as she went off on one of the most exciting adventures of her young life.
And then they were off...and I leaned against the doorframe as I watched them pull out, wiped a tear from my cheek and murmured on a sigh...
"Merry Christmas, my darling...and have a wonderful night while I have a good cry!"
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