It is the night before your 10th birthday. The night before the fast track train to the teen years would start. You see, I had been here before already. Your older brother had taken me on this road when he turned 10. I had no clue what to expect when we went through this with him. How quickly time would pass, but now I know exactly how this goes.
Tomorrow you will be 10.
You will feel much more grown up, and you will ask me to do things you know I don’t think you’re old enough to do. Then suddenly, you will be 12 and I will wonder how in the world had we already gotten here. And then in the blink of an eye you’ll be 13. It all truly moves way too fast and perfectly at the same time. I know you will still drive me crazy, and your little girl hormones and eye rolls will make me want to scream. But I also know we only have so many dance practices left, and our mommy daughter sleep overs have an expiration date. After 10, it feels like time speeds up and my role as your mother starts to shift and change with each passing day. You will teach me so many lessons along the way, and hopefully I will guide you in the right directions.
Tomorrow you will be 10, but tonight I’ll look at your baby pictures and I’ll remember.
I’ll put the finishing touches on the perfect party of your dreams. (A dance party of course.) Tonight, I’ll watch you breathe in your sleep as I have done so many times since the day you were born. I’ll dream of your future and imagine all you might accomplish. I’ll ask time to slow down knowing that it won’t, and for a moment, I’ll just be grateful I was chosen to be your mom.
