Today I am the mom of a fourteen year old.

She was born on time. Almost. It’s only time she has ever been on time. She was also the most amazingly easy baby. She was. I’m not just saying that because she’s mine. She set her own bed time, woke up twice to eat and really didn’t get upset by much.

Besides Grover. That puppet always appeared at meal time and always messed with her.

We taught her baby sign language. She caught on and was so happy to communicate. She signed things like milk, fish, more, please and thank you. We figure she learned easily over 100 signs. Or more. She went from signing to speaking sentences by age 2. And she really hasn’t stopped chattering.

My Bell, as I call her, is also a big Disney fan. When she turned three, we packed up and made the trek and she was hooked. She wore her Cinderella dress only in Disneyland and never when we went to California Adventure. Her love affair with Disney has only continued. Right now she is complaining about Netflix taking off Hercules.

I think that’s where she also got her love to draw. Because she has been drawing since she could hold a crayon and I had never watched a child at such a young age just sit and draw. Or want too.

So she today sits with and carries drawing pads after drawing pads. Big and small. Colored pencils, pens, and markers also go with her. It’s what she does when she’s bored or when she finds something interesting that she would like to create in her world.

In her next move to continue down the artist path; she went from having long thick hair down the middle of her back to short pixie hair. I figure it’s only hair, so do with it what you want. For a girl who never wants attention directly placed on her ; short hair makes her stand out. Especially at an age where every girl has long hair.

So today we celebrate the stubborn but polite girl I love with my whole heart.

She is smart, creative, caring, funny, and beautiful. I could go on about her. She is my favorite subject. I will just end it with 14 things about her.

And tonight we will eat chocolate.

14. She has brown eyes and some of her closest friends she has had since she was 4.

13. She wears glasses. Refuses to try contacts. “Poking” her eye makes her anxiety ramp up.

12. She loves cats.

11. Her favorite snack is ice cream.

10. She loves super buttery popcorn.

9. She is a Tim Burton fan.

8. We recently dyed her hair blue. I was traumatized by it all…blue was every where.

7. She wants a Bearded Dragon and to name it Newt.

6. Chocolate Milk is her drink of choice.

5. She was born at 8 lbs 15 oz.

4. She has a goofy, sarcastic sense of humor.

3. She loves practical jokes.

2. She loves rock music.

1. She’s equal parts California hippie and a Montana wild flower.

Happy Birthday Bug. Thank you for being you. Tonight we eat cake.