18

[Thumper]

The Kid turns 18 tomorrow. Almost seems a little anti climatic since she's already successfully finished her freshman year in college, has been across the country on various trips without her parents 3 times in the last year, has a job and has already been promoted. I remember 18 years ago worrying about becoming a parent (I'd had little experience to that point ). I told myself if I could just get her to 18 without screwing things up too bad, she'll be off to college and I could get back to normal. I wouldn't recognize normal now if ran me over in a dump truck. I now just wish I could have those 18 years over again. Alot of pain and difficulties mixed in there, but I wouldn't miss or change those 18 years for the world.

[SciFiFisher]

Tell "The Kid" happy birthday from Brite and I. Frankly, it sounds like she turned out pretty good. If you haven't done it in the last 30 minutes don't forget to tell her how proud you are of her.

[Thumper]

I will, She did, And I surely need to.

[grapes]

Kids 34 years of kids, and we're almost finished. The youngest is 27

[Sigma_Orionis]

Cool

[geonuc]

Well done. You brought up a decent human being, something quite a few parents fail at, it seems.

[code monkey]

good job, thumper.

however, I am here to tell you (and all those reading this) that your job is not over and your child will always be, to some extent, your baby. you'll always remember that moment when you first saw that tiny scrap of a person. I first realized this when I was present when one of my mother's friends(in her 40's at the time) and her mother were having a spirited discussion. there was plenty of affection between them but one could have told from reading a transcript who was the mom and who was the daughter.

more than once i'd exclaim something about 'my baby' and Elliot would say, in those tolerant, put-upon tones 'mom, i'm not a baby'. i'd tell him that I knew that but he'd always be ny baby. he'd tell me that it didn't make sense. and i'd tell him that he'd understand when he was older.

[Thumper]

Well, I have an adult baby. Actually got to see her for a few minutes yesterday. She graced us with her presence for a couple of hours before going to bed after returning from a weekend of rock climbing.

[code monkey]

Kids 34 years of kids, and we're almost finished. The youngest is 27

grapes, one is never finished with one's children. never.

[Thumper]

Well, we got the 18 year old moved back onto campus for her sophomore year. It went a little quicker and easier than last year. At least we felt much better about it than last year. Now if I can get back to "normal."

[Rommie]

Cool! Does she have a major yet btw? I think you may have mentioned but I can't recall.

[Thumper]

She wavered last year between Neuroscience and Engineering.
She's starting off this year with an engineering curriculum.