Yep. It’s true. The lil’wrekker will turn 21yo.
I don’t think I can cope with this reality.
I was texting her this morning. I faked it. Acted like I didn’t remember, at all. She saw right through it. She got all mother-y on me. Telling me how to cope with the loss of my baby. (She’s taking a psychology course)
I told her to shut-up.
Now, I don’t usually tell my baby to shut up. I want to wallow in my self pity, at my leisure. It’s too bad if she finds it uncomfortable.
I can’t wait til she has a 21yo. Revenge is best served up cold.
Yep. My “baby”, the youngest of my three, is 22. That can only mean one thing - my wife is old! I keep asking her how this could have happened. I didn’t marry an old woman, yet I am married to an old woman. For this, she has no answer.
Women never forget the circumstances surrounding the birth of a child.
My mom has a funny story about mopping the floor and being upset when her water broke. Messing up her housework work. I was stubborn and didn’t want to join the world. My mom says I was finally born a few minutes after midnight. Making me a day late.
Beck, do you remember the details of your children’s birth? Any funny stories?
The lil’wrekker was anxious to get here. We had a c-section scheduled for Sept. 15. But she decided Sept.11th suited her better. I was out of it but I’m told she screamed like a banshee til they stuck a bottle in her mouth. She needed lots of soothing her first year. If her mouth was empty she was screaming. Pacifiers were my best friend. I enjoyed every minute of her infancy, nonetheless.
I can’t tell you guys how much of a blessing this kid was. She has always just been a bright light in my life. Everyone in the family thinks the same. She’s just one of those people. When she walks in a room she sucks all the oxygen out. Cute as a bug, and friendly. Love that girl!
When I turned 21 many years ago, I got all the rights and woes of adulthood. Things have changed since then. Li’l Wrekker has been an adult for nearly 3 years. The only thing adult privilege/ obligation she’ll gain tomorrow is the legal use of alcohol.
In my case, I had no trouble buying beer without showing ID from age 17 until my 21st birthday. From then until about age 39, I got carded everywhere I went. Go figger.
There was a liquor store in my hometown that checked ID carefully. They’d even turn in license plate numbers to the cops for trying to buy anything.
I went by there on my 21st birthday and had a lot of satisfaction in watching the guy look at my ID. I was legal. That beer tasted so good.
I never bought anything from that store again. That one time was enough and I never forgot how hard nosed they were. There were other stores I shopped.
Greetings Star Fighter…no, thats the wrong script…
Ahem
Congratulations You Wonderful Parent/Legal Guardian. You’ve reached the .66 or 2/3 waypoint for full independance from your Amazing Son/Daughter. Only 10 years to go to achieve full Freedom from their Overbearing Rules, Ridiculous Demands and Recurring Shake Downs for Lunch Money/Financial Assistance/Another Loan Just Until Next Week I Promise This Time.
In seriousness, Congrats. I’ve got two, fully out and independent and I’m still not looking forward to the next two. It DOES go by too fast.
When I was in grad school who had an agreement with her dad that she wouldn’t drink until she was 21, in exchange for some large amount of cash. She held to the deal.
And got smashed as hell on her birthday.
Just sayin’.
Parenthood is painful…everyone loses their baby. You get a little kid in its place. Then the little kid is lost…and you get a big kid. Then the big kid dies…and you get a teenager. And so on.
I used to cry a bit, missing the fun times we used to have when he was little. I finally understood that song “turn around and you’re 3, turn around and you’re 4, turn around and you’re a young man going out of the door…”
However, I don’t cry anymore. My kid is a decent sort, happy, fairly well adjusted, and (almost) capable of thinking like an adult. His continuing to be a kid is starting to get a little annoying. “Hey, dinner time!” typically results in a very quiet “OK…” then he heads to the bathroom for 30 minutes. Sigh.
I suppose even when they turn adult officially they are still your kid, and will act like it…
I met the Lil’wrekker halfway between her university and my house. We had a nice lunch. I brought her gifts from the family and cash from her Dad. I gave her a gift card to have a manicure and pedicure. She was sweet and chatty and just her cute self.
And, you guys, she’s not planning on getting plastered tonight. She said she was gonna buy lotto tickets. I informed her she coulda bought them since age 18. She called me a party pooper. We separated and went on our way. I cried for about 10miles.
I’m good now.
The only advice from Ann Landers I deemed worthy of remembering from was, “Having a child is like launching a kite. It is important to know when to hold tight but it is equally important to know when to let go.”
