kate

I am in awe of my daughter. Kate turned 15 today and I just so love the person she is and will continue to grow into. I can’t even be concerned that this might just come across as a mother bleating on about how fabulous her daughter is because that would make her feel good about herself. Because it genuinely isn’t that. Kate has so much to teach me. She just has an innate sense of self beyond her years, an innate sense of fairness, a kindness that is true, she is compassionate, she is incapable of untruths, she will never let anyone down, she is a friend to all, she forgives those who are unkind, she has no need for all to like her, she is who she is and will not compromise her ideals, her sense of fairness for anyone, even if it hurts her, she has a true grasp on her ego, she puts others before herself, she allows them to be who they are, she sees the good in all, she genuinely celebrates others success and talent without ever feeling what about me. My friends know how I worry a tad that she has no competitive edge, and she doesn’t. But that’s my stuff. She has no desire to prove she is better than anyone else, to prove she is good enough, because she is already so secure in who she is.  She is noble and kind and stylish, filled with grace and never-ending dignity. She is bright, she is cheeky, she is ambitious but not greedy, she talks back, she has a twinkle, a naughty and fabulous sense of humour, she has a wonderful ability to laugh out loud, she is argumentative and yes a tad disdainful and dismissive of her parents and her sister, but appropriately so, with a love for us that oozes out her pores. I am so proud and so in awe of my daughter. I hope one day I grow up to be just like her.

one hundred and fifty two

 

I am grateful for a warm cheek nuzzle. Not sure if nuzzle’s a word or if it captures that moment every morning when I wake Jem with a kiss, squishing my lips and face into her warm from sleep cheek, inhaling her smell. A cheek nuzzle. It is the best time of the day for me, and I am very grateful I get to do it every morning. And that I get a nuzzle back. Kate gets a cheek nuzzle too, and a chuckle cos she really doesn’t like it anymore, now she’s a teenager and hates anybody who deigns to wake her. So I am so very grateful for the cheek nuzzle with Jem moment. Long may it last.

fifty

I am grateful today to have two daughters that just get on with their homework. No cajoling, no threatening, no fighting, no bribing, no cheek. I am grateful for my two self motivated daughters. So much so, that when I feel I should offer some homework input, I am often shunned. I am secretly grateful for that too.

forty one

Being the mom of a gorgeous teenage girl is quite challenging. I imagine being the daughter of a control freak mom must be quite challenging too. We have some very funny moments. Some very emotional moments. Some quite volatile moments. Those moments where I’m not sure who the adult is anymore. Which is why I am very grateful we talk and giggle and share. A  near perfect moment today, the beach, a flat white from Hard Cafe and a girly chat with Kate.

two

I am grateful for my daughter’s friendship with my friend’s son.  He brings such a fabulous energy into our home every time he visits.  He is kind, cheeky, charming, challenging and fun.  He has such enthusiasm for life that it is truly infectious.  The girls and I all become a lot lighter and a lot more fun when he is around.  He had us at hello.

snort

Honestly, that’s what Kate did when she read my first post.  Not a derisive snort, but one that precedes giggles and outright laughter.  My newly formalised fragile sense of self took one huge knock.  It got worse.  Cute.  She says. You are so serious, it’s cute. Then she checked out my ‘about’ and then post ‘one’.  Ohhhhh, you’re posting about what you’re grateful for.  Boring was implied tonally.  I thought I had made that clear in my ramblings.  Obviously not.  So now you know. Then she moved on, leaving her mother in tatters.  Just for a moment.  Stuff it.  I decided to tell her how much I love her instead.  I am grateful for my beautiful daughter.  I am grateful for the fact that she loves me.  I stalked her tumblr and found this.  And she doesn’t realise it yet, but she’s cute and serious too.  www.precious-bliss.tumblr.com