I Feel So Old

Tomorrow, Wednesday the 2nd of February, my daughter turns 16. My god, where has the time gone? It sounds cliche, but it really does seem like only yesterday I was chasing her around the front garden, trying to brush the tangles out of her curly blonde hair, and trying to convince her not to eat the cat's food.

So, in honour of her sweet 16 (not to mention my aging more than 16 years' worth in the process of getting her to this age, I thought I would thorougly embarrass her by posting some of her cutest pics and retelling some of her funniest moments.


Malorie when she was only a few days old, February 1989


Malorie at one month old, though she didn't want to wake up for this picture!

One of my favourites concerns the morning following a shopping trip to Sam's. For those of you who might not know, Sam's is a warehouse where you can buy things in bulk. It's part of the Wal-Mart empire. I had bought quite a few things, but one of them was a box of about 200 tampons. Of course, the next morning, Malorie, having woken up before me, was in the living room opening every single one of them!


Malorie at four months old


She always preferred the natural look

She also woke one other morning before I did, and I came into the living room to see her sitting on top of the television. She was stark naked. We finally put a gate up.


The gate to protect the house from the baby!


Malorie kissing my cousin Cody; this picture was in the Commerce News in 1992

Malorie loved having a baby brother after Braden came along in 1990. She loved to dress him up in her frilly pink dresses!


Malorie hiding in Braden's toybox


One of my favourite pictures of her with that cheeky smile

I had always wanted to take dance classes when I was little, but my parents couldn't afford them. When Malorie was old enough, I signed her up for them, thinking that at least when she grew up, she couldn't tell me that she always wished I'd let her take them. Of course, she hated them.


Malorie's dance picture


Malorie in my drill team skirt with my pom poms one Halloween

One Thanksgiving when she was about three years old, we went to my mum's cousin Craig's house for dinner. All the kids were playing upstairs in the playroom, and suddenly no one could find the canary. We all did a house search, while Craig's wife Julie was in tears, certain Malorie had hurt the bird, when we finally heard a "tweet" coming from a box. She had just tried to hide it because the other kids were being mean to it!


I think Malorie had a headache!


Playing at the park

After the failure of the dance classes, I signed Malorie up for soccer/football. Well, that didn't go down very well either, though it was cute seeing her running up and down the pitch with her ponytail bobbing up and down in the air!


Malorie the goalie, flirting with one of the other players


She always did love computers, even before The Sims!

I used to hear the story from my parents about how I hid my mum's car keys in the trash can when I was little. One day I couldn't find my wedding rings. Malorie had put them, you guessed it, in the trash can.


Malorie in her school uniform


Malorie after a beer shower

Malorie used to beg me to let her have a drink of my beer. I used to always say, "Call your father and ask him. If he says it's okay, you can have some", knowing he would most definitely say no. One day she begged to the point I said, "Sure you can have some". I proceeded to pour it over her head. She was not happy with me, even when I pointed out that it makes your hair shiny.


Malorie's 13th birthday


Malorie's 15th birthday

So happy birthday, Malorie! You're a pain in the bum teenager who is boy mad and has an attitude, but Simon and I love you dearly and wouldn't trade you for anything!