She's 16. She's Beautiful. She's Mine (or, HER Super Sweet 16)

She came into my life 16 years ago. Actually it's closer to 17 because I was pretty disheveled upon finding out the news Tracy was pregnant, although I bonded quickly. I remember Tracy telling me to feel her stomach while at the theatre watching Terminator 2...there was a song by the band Guns 'N Roses that stirred her up. I also had my Sony Walkman headphones on Tracy's belly and introduced her to Auburn football highlights, Nirvana & the Ramones.

It was a long labor, of which I remember all my friends telling me about the beauty of being in the labor room...and thinking that was a total lie because delivery was a surgical procedure and I found little beauty in that. However, about 10 minutes after the actual birth I understood the romance of it all. I was hooked the minute they handed me the bathed & bundled Kid1. And, by hooked, I mean head-over-heels smitten with her.

I remember that I accidentally clipped the skin instead of her fingernails when she was 6-weeks-old and I've never forgotten the look she gave me that said, "But, Dad, I trusted you of all people, not to hurt me" and then wailed. I never clipped her fingernails again.

I remember late-night feedings when I got to watch the Braves' incredible "worst-to-first" division titles holding her, feeding her while pacing back and forth...and having to be quiet so not to wake her when Francisco Cabrera singled home Sid Bream to send Atlanta to the World Series.

I remember letting her watch a mix of Wayne's World and Sesame Street's Honker Duckie Dinger Jamboree to which she responded with the same degree of interest.

I remember her singing the Auburn fight song about 150 times. I have about 64 of them videotaped.

I remember her sneaking my Coke off the end table and drinking out of it before I noticed, leaving behind whatever floaty crumbs were in her mouth at the time. Eventually, I got tired of making a new glass of soda and would just roll with it.

I remember her calling her grandpa on the phone (he lived 10 minutes away) and telling him she needed a pool. He went to Wal-Mart and the wading pool was at our house in about half an hour.

I remember her being excited about Kid2's arrival...and being a great big sister. She still is.

I remember her first day of elementary school, middle school & high school. She was ready for all of them in the way you want your kids to be ready for them.

I remember her being disciplined as a softball player, paying attention to things like footwork around the bag and pitch selection and defensive alignment. Even then I noticed that while she liked softball and being on teams and was pretty good at it, she had the soul of an artist. It didn't surprise me much when she told me she was going to stop playing softball...and she made sure that I understood that she still loved baseball and wanted to keep our ritual of about 5 trips a year to the Ballpark at Arlington as well as pouring over the sports page with me each morning, she simply didn't want to play anymore. I remember thinking I'd done my duty as a parent regarding purient interests in The Great Game.

I remember her disappointment in being rejected by Booker T. Washington High School...and her subsequent elation upon finding out it was a paperwork SNAFU and got it resolved quickly. She's found her people, I think.

I remember her first date. it was two weeks ago. She impressed me with her choice of boy for the first date, too.

I remember her excitement last night, with about 15 teenagers standing around a vehicle with all the doors open and music being played loudly. I think that ritual is a slice of American suburban teenage life: "Hey, I just got a new sound system. You have to come hear it!" Props to the Higher-Order Barnstorming Aunt Jilly & Uncle Shane for one of the most thoughtful gifts for a 16-year-old.

She loves music.
She loves baseball and Auburn football...and Auburn.
She loves cooking.
She loves painting.
She's pretty bright, if you ask me.
She's making her faith her very own...which is necessary and strange at the same time.
She's making her life her very own...which is scary and exciting at the same time.

All in all, she's made my job as a parent pretty darn easy.

I'd love her even if she didn't, though. Like I said, I was hooked from the get-go. Absolutely head-over-heels smitten.

I'm proud of that kid.
I love that kid.

And, today...

...she's 16.
...she's beautiful in about infinity Google of ways.
...and she's mine.

Happy Sweet 16, Kelsey.
Happy Sweet 16.