My baby is eleven today

When did my tiny baby grow up?

For her birthday, she was given gold earrings and a doll with golden hair. She got a pink shirt and a pink poodle. She was too old to be pinched, but not too old to wear the goofy birthday hat with candles on the top. She feels grown-up and beautiful, and she still wants to sit in my lap and talk. Eleven suits her. I look at her and see a lovely young lady perfectly poised between the little girl she used to be and the young woman she'll become.

I cried a little when I lit her candles.

Happy Birthday, baby.