Admittedly, I Haven't Been a Parent That Long.........

............but there are few things that today, my daughter's 15th birthday, has taught me about being a mother.  Here are some of my thoughts in no particular order of importance:

• No matter how organized you are, there are bound to be surprises.  Not all of them will be pleasant, but they will all be learning experiences.
• Just when you think you've got your kid/s pegged as to their musical preferences, food loves, learning styles, fashion choices, etc., they will throw a curve at you.  Remember to duck and throw back the pitch.
• Regardless of a mother's age when she gives birth, the first time she holds her child will be terrifying and exhilarating and humbling.  And regardless of her child's age, she will ALWAYS think of her child as her "baby."
• Teenagers don't feel the cold.  If they do, they're far too "cool" to show it.
• If you insist that your teen take a jacket to school as they leave for the day (because the morning temperature is hovering just above 40 degrees F), be prepared for said jacket to lose it's way home.
• Kids might do chores without complaint, do homework with little whining, and eat food they don't want with little fuss, but they WILL piss off their older sister JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT and get upset when she HITS him for getting in her face.
• A mother will be most tired just as the kids get home from school, even though she did not have to change any diapers, put any kids down for a nap, or clean up any vomit.
• Even though my kids are fairly self-sufficient, this mom does need to teach them how to do more than cook pasta, bacon and eggs, or soup.  Dinners can be pretty routine when mom is in bed and the kids are in charge of cooking.
• Cooking meals in advance and freezing them in preparation for mom's absence of several days is pointless.  Dad will inevitably tell the teen girl not to bother heating up the food since they're all going out for pizza.  Again.
• Mom's Getaway Trips are even more vital as the kids get older.

There you have some of my more random thoughts this day, the day my motherhood came to full fruition. I do no claim that these are universal truths, but they seem to hold true in the Songbird household.

At least for today.

Later daze........................