Another Pause for Reflection

Today is the birthday of our baby girl, Michelle. She was the smallest and most perfect person I had ever seen on the day of her first birthday. When I held her head in my right hand as she slept when she stretched out, her feet almost touched the bend of my elbow.

She was and will always be my Itty-Bit, my Ichy-Michy even though I concede neither of those nicknames plays well these days (so I hardly ever use them and never in public. Well, except for you on the Interwebs).

At two days old

I have a memory of my father and his first daughter, my sister Evan, that I just recalled as I typed this because, like him, I have a song that captures the dynamic of the relationship. I'm smiling as I type this because his song was and remains part of the soundtrack of the film of his life and I suspect Evan, if she reads this, knows exactly what song I mean.  

Michelle no longer can sleep in the crook of my arm-there are times her pace is so frenetic I'm not sure when she does sleep. I more often than not read about her exploits and adventures on things like Four Square when I get up in the morning only to have forgotten any questions I wanted to ask her by the time she comes home from work. That amnesia may be the secret of our success.

She is her mother's daughter-Thelma to her Louise and I marvel at the self-assured and confident little girl who is a purposeful young adult striding through life equipped, or so she believes, to handle whatever is around the next bend.

"She was wide-eyed, now she's street-wise to the lies and the jive talk. But she'll find true love and tenderness on the block." Happy Birthday, Michelle!
-bill kenny