Shifting Gears   Baby Boomer…Member Life 2.0…Wife, Mother, Grammie…Bicyclist…GoldWinger…Mensan…Girl Scout…Reader…Knitter…Rotarian

My baby girl is 40 today – and I now understand what my dad meant when I said I’d always be his “baby”.  Tammy frequently says that I should have realized when I had perfection in a daughter and just left well enough alone – but she would have been spoiled and bored as an only child!  As the second daughters – and the babies of the family – Ralph and I contend that sometimes it takes two tries to get it right!

We spent the weekend in Des Moines helping Ralph and Blair celebrate with a “4 Score” party since Blair turned 40 on June 30th.  It was a fun event held at friends’ photography studio in downtown Des Moines and we had a great time not only helping to get ready for the event but also being there to see their friends.  My favorite job of the weekend was yesterday afternoon when I got enlisted to take the girls to the swimming pool – it was a tough job, but someone had to do it!

My baby, Ralph, and me at her 40th birthday party

I’m doubly blessed with daughters so here’s my tribute to Ralph today – 40 wonderful reasons I’m proud to be her mother.  And if some of the items listed below are duplicates of my 44 Reasons I posted for Tammy recently, well, DUH – they are sisters after all!

1. She doubled my joy of being a mother
2.  Julia and Lydia – she has blessed me with a pair of delightful granddaughters
3. Blair – whom Tammy and I were sure would see the light and call off the wedding but thank goodness, he didn’t! (Just joking Ralph)
   

   Ralph and Blair - the birthday kids

4. She’s a gourmet cook
5. Her daughters may only be 4 and 7 but they know the dangers of high-fructose corn syrup.
6. She has a wicked brand of sarcastic humor – wonder where she got that
7.   She’s a nurse
8. She never stops giving me reasons to wear my “Proud Mom” look
9. She’s a very loyal friend – she’s had the same best friend since kindergarten
10.  Her sister is her best friend
11. She takes personal responsibility
12. She sends hand-written thank-you notes
13. She loves to read
14. She is forgiving
15. She has an excellent vocabulary
16. She uses impeccable grammar – and insists that her kids do too
17. She looks years younger than 40
18. She often can’t wear size 0 jeans – they are too big
19. She’s beautiful….
20. ….inside and out!
21. She will readily share her opinion
22. She’s very smart
23. We both survived her teen years…
24. …and some rough times in her Terrible 20s too!
25. She’s a left-brain with a compassionate heart – accountant turned nurse
26. We have tons of fun together
27. She trusts me with her kids when she wants to take a trip – even after Lydia put a bead in her nose!
28. She can tell me off when I need it – or as her Nana would say, “she knows how to call a spade an effin’ shovel”
29. She can accomplish anything she really wants to do.
30. She admits her mistakes
31. She uses good common sense
32. She’s also an introvert – just like Tammy and me
33. She knows what she wants and she goes for it – i.e. Blair, her nursing degree, her home
34. She knows how to delegate in the kitchen…
35. …and taught me the correct way to use a knife this weekend.
36. She’s a darned good golfer
37. She loves to travel…..
38. …and she makes a wonderful travel companion
39. Did I mention that she gave me Julia and Lydia?
40. Because she’s Ralph – and I love her more than life and wish her the happiest birthday ever.

Here’s to more fun years ahead for us, Ralph – thanks for all our experiences together.  I wouldn’t have missed a one of them (well maybe a couple, but hey, they just made the good times even better!)