Cheer me up. My daughter turns 18 tomorrow.

My Daughters 18th birthday is tomorrow and I'm sad. I don't mean to sound selfish, but she's all grown up now. I used to have people tell me to enjoy her while I had her (and I have) because she be grown and gone before I knew it. They were right. :(

She an only child, which makes it tougher since I don't have a back up crew to help distract me.

It's a bittersweet milestone, but I'm sure you have raised a lovely young woman of whom you can be proud. Your relationship will change as she continues to grow, but it can be as good or even better than before.

:hug:

I'm so happy for her and secretly sad.

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I'll be here for you in June. :hug:

She post on another Dem board and is very politically and socially aware.

Thanks for the congratulations. :)

Great job! I'm sure she's a great girl because she has great parents!

Don't feel bad rather be proud!:hi:

It takes true restraint not to be one of those always bragging parents. I fail quite often. :D

Thanks for the kind words. :)

when we both went away for college but my sis and I were also the first two in our family to get college degrees!

I know she was proud then!

That was quite an accomplishment!

Two leaving at the same time. I don't know how she lived through it!

I think it helped my parents marriage. Not that they were in trouble but after 36 years, it can get rather boring. When we were away, they spent so much time together, like before they had us.

It does sometimes help bring the parents back together. :)

That would keep you busy. :)

That is something that's been discussed before. It's not beyond becoming a reality. :)

Not now, but maybe ten or 15 years from now. A second family, and my chance to get a girl. :)

Time to fly

I used to say I would only be 37 when she was 18 and was gonna PARTY! :)

Now I'm all down in the dumps... She moves out in August, for me that's too soon.

BTW is your daughter going to College somehwere in August.

She's moving hundreds of miles away, too. I encouraged it so I sure can't complain. She's a very independent person (she was raised to be) and I know she'll be fine.

I mean I am going to community college but I wont be leaving home.

:)

:-)

Wish her a happy birthday for me.

LOL!

Thanks I needed that right now. :hug:

I'll be sure and pass on your birthday wish. :)

In fact, I think the exact same way when it comes to my only child. Maybe it's the fact that this is the one and only, we get it just this one time around? I can understand the sadness, I've been lamenting lately that I can't pick up and carry my girl any longer!

Best wishes for a happy 18th, for both you and your girl.

:party:

It may be different when you only have the one child. My friends who's children have turned 18 were OK with it. They also all had more in the home still.

I never had kids and now I wish I had. I'd say your job's not over --it's just beginning a new and exciting stage. Did that help? :-)

It's just a new frontier, a new level in our relationship. I can build from that. :)

Don't post her picture either, that's how he finds.

OMG and now she's legal. I remember there were alot of people asking her age back then... EEEEKK. :D

She told me last night she's going to get her new drivers license and she's going to register to vote on Monday. :D

so I empathize with her excitement...November 2006 can't get here fast enough. :)

not that it stopped me. . .

She's the one everyone calls when they need a ride home from a party. I used to do that for her friends and when she got older she just picked it up.

They are real friends.

From what you're saying, I'd advise this:

If you need comforting, just look at the character of the woman you've raised.

That's really what I've been working for all these years. Mission accomplished. :)

:silly:

:).

:P

Like everyone cool seems to be that age.

:D

:silly:

God I am starting to feel young.

i bet you will only grow closer with time :hug:

I know (hope) we will. :hug:

How the heck are ya?:hi:

as she didn't want to wait for the bus. She was in a big hurry to go register to vote! Didn't have her driver's license and really didn't care about it from 16 to almost 19, when we basically forced her to get it.

But she didn't want to wait for the bus to get her across town after school to get her voter registration done! I was so proud of her priorities.

That was 14 years ago. I am proud of the woman she has become and the way she conducts her life. She was an only child too.

Don't grieve the loss too much, soon you will find you have a daughter who is also a friend. It is a very wonderful blessing.

I have no problem finding other young people to help me keep things in perspective and help me keep youthful awe in my bag of tricks, so I don't lament the loss of little people in my life.

And I sure love the long phone calls with the young woman who always amazes and interests me with her wit, observations and insights.

Don't spend too much time lamenting this birthday. There is SO much good stuff ahead! ;)

You really put it all in perspective for me. Your right, there is so much more good stuff ahead. I will let the past go into the good memories folder and move on the the future. And embrace all the glorious mysteries it holds. :)

She's my one and only, so I feel your pain. I'm 38, close to your age--isn't it nice to still be young enough to enjoy them? I like being the "cool" mom among her friends, because I haven't forgotten what it's like to be 14 myself. She heads to high school next year, and that's a tough hurdle for me. But we can console ourselves with the knowledge that we're sending stellar human beings out into the world--it definitely needs more kids like ours!
:P

So Happy Birthday to your gal, from another Lone Star mom (born & raised in Austin)!

Peace--

RV

That has been a perk I'll not deny loving. When her friends had a problem and they felt uncomfortable talking about it with other adults they came to me. I've loved that.

The beginning of HS was our last hurdle so I understand how you're feeling. It's the beginning of their independence.

Here's to the stellar humans that we've helped to form. :toast:

and is about to go through it again with my little brother. He is turning 18 in July, and is already trying to move out and be a big boy!

My mama deals with it by going out with the girls to dance, drink, or see a Blues musician.

I've been spending more time going out with my girlfriends over the past few months trying to get back into the swing of things. :D

My mama went from feeling like an old mama to feeling like one of the girls again! It's definitely helped her self esteem a LOT.

Happy Birthday to your girl!!

I have a while to go to 18, but I have only one child and she just turned 5.

:hug:

Remind me to pick him up and carry him around while I am able.

They are so much fun at five. Full of questions and just little darlings. :)

Now for the speech.

Enjoy it while you have can because he/she will be grown and gone before you know it. :)

My son turned 18 last July and he is still fun to be around. But things are different for sure

Life moves on at a steady pace. I love my daughter's company as the person she's grown to be. I'm just indulging in a bit of a pity party over the loss of her being my "little girl".

You can never get it back, sad to see it go in our children.

And it's heartbreaking. My daughter just turned 15 ( I am too young for that) and everyday I search her face for the last vestige of baby girl. She'll always be your baby. She'll always need you...and she will be thankful for the time you spent. Hugs and I'm thinking of you with a little bit of tears in my eyes.

Laura

Let's make it a date. You made me feel so 'understood' and I own you for that. :hug:

:hi:

She's 24, graduating from college in a month or so. Your post reminded me how fast she grew up.

It's a beautiful process of life.