My heart is 2-2 full

Today my darling daughter2 celebrates her 22nd birthday.  She reminded me recently that the last time she and I were physically together on her actual day was birthday #17.

Whaaaaat?
Can that be right?

Her birthday falls just after the start of school, so for the past few years when her special day rolled around we were just returning home following university move-in. Turning around and trekking right back didn't make sense, but that streak ends today. Daughter2 and I are together on the same terra firma and we have big plans for a fun week.  Hubs is busy working or some such nonsense so it's just me and my mini-me.

On daughter1's 22nd birthday I put together some pictures from her birthday celebrations thru the years so of course I've done the same for daughter2.  I had a few thoughts as I scanned and edited...

1.  There's just no denying it...we've taken a lot of of bad pictures in our day.   Blurry, busy backgrounds, half a person in the shot...it's like we were just snapping our way thru life la-di-dah-di-dah.

2.  We lived in NJ when daughter2 was a newborn and tiny tot and in looking at those early pictures I remembered how much my girls loved to stand on the fireplace hearth and put their sticky hand prints all over the brass surround.  Apparently I gave up wiping it down.  In my defense keeping up with daughter2 did not leave a lot of time for everyday chores.

3.  In the yard of that same house we had the world's most dangerous swing set.  The previous owners left it behind so we made the best of it.  First of all it was metal, set up on a hill so it kinda tilted, and there was a big block of concrete at the bottom of the slide that you had to dodge as you came down.  It was situated right where the woods met the grass so momma me had to be ever alert for momma bear and her cubs.  We've always liked to live on the edge.

4.  Judging by the size of our first video camera you might be under the impression we worked for a major news network.  We didn't,  but the camera was ridunkulously ginormous.

5.  Why didn't I carefully date every.single.photo. when they were developed?   You'd think it would be easy enough to figure out which birthday was which by the cakes and the clothes,  but my girls always had more than one cake on their birthdays.  There was the kid party and the family party and if those two dates didn't fall on their actual birthday I might have made another little treat to mark the day.  What can I say?  I liked to bake and I liked cake.  Like cake.  I still like cake.

6.  Daughter1 always asked for angel food cake topped with strawberries and whipped cream for her birthday.  Not Daughter2!  Daughter2 started asking for chocolate pretty much as soon as she could talk, which was early.  Before she was born I had her older sister convinced that a plain graham cracker was a treat.  Daughter2 wasn't buyin' it...I think one of her first words was Oreo.

7.   Sometimes when I look at my daughter I catch a glimpse of the mischievous toddler girl of days gone by.  And sometimes I think my heart might literally burst.

8.  Happy Birthday sweet Daughter2!   You have brought so much love and laughter into our home and hearts.  Enjoy this snapshot of your celebrations through the years~

Another slideshow by Smilebox