Maria - My Daughter, My Friend

Maria Rose was our starter child and today we are celebrating her.  She is named after Mike's Grandma Maria and my Grandma Rose.  Mike's grandma was Norwegian and we used her pronounciation for the name so it is pronounced like Mariah. 

I should have been posting this on April 2 but Maria was 16 days late folks!  I'm sure that had something to do with her 9 lb. 2 oz. birth weight.  She was also 22 1/2" long!  I kind of felt like we missed her infancy as she was born wanting to get on with it!  She seemed to think she could walk right out of the womb!  She hated being treated like a baby and wanted upright at all times.  She was walking several steps by  7 months and anywhere she wanted by 8 months.  She potty-trained early, talked early and a lot, and pretty much just set an advanced pace for herself throughout her early life.

Even as a little kid, Maria always seemed to be older than she was.  I once commented to Mike, while we watched her with other children, that she seemed to be a little adult trying to pretend she was a child! 

Already as a child Maria was pretty insightful as well.  Once, when she was about 3rd grade, we were visiting at the home of one of my friends.  My friend had a teenage daughter who was getting pretty sassy to her Mom and I watched Maria really taking it all in.  On the way home Maria discussed it and declared her disgust at the girl's behavior.  She ended saying, "I hope I never act like that to you, Mom!"  Then a bit later, "But if I do, will you just remember that it is a stage I am going through?"

Maria was a fun child to raise!  She learned things quickly, had in inquisitive mind and a let-me-try-it spirit.   She's always had a love of laughter and a good sense of humor.  OK, some of her jokes were pretty bad but I just blame that on her father.  She can't be held accountable for what genetics did to her!  And as she points out, she went through some awkward phases...again, genetics, but I'm not saying which side.

Not only did we get the joy of parenting Maria, we have loved watching her come into her own as an adult.  She is very good at being married, truly giving and supportive of Eric, as he is for her.  And as a mother, I've never seen anyone so tender.  It is truly a beautiful thing to watch her with her own daughter.

I'm just trying to say that I am so very grateful for the gift Maria has been to our family.  Words seem kind of inadequate so let me just show you...

(photo by James Strate - used without permission, hope you don't mind, Jim!)

(This photo by E.K. Wimmer,also used without permission but I'm sure he would've given permission had I asked.)

(Another photo stolen outright from E.K. Wimmer.)

(OK, so I used this E.K. Wimmer without permission as well.  We gave him our daughter, though, so I doubt he will press charges.  I'm pretty sure he won't.  I really don't think he will...)

This daughter of our's has been and continues to be such a joy to us.

The truth is, sometimes I look at her and just marvel at her beauty, inside and out.

Happy Birthday to My Daughter, My Friend!