Time...

It's funny, when you're a kid you can't wait for your birthday, to be another year older, to get presents, to be the center of attention for the day. Then you get older and some birthdays are just another day while others are exciting, waiting to turn 16 so you can drive, then 17 is pretty boring unless you were really looking forward to getting into some NC-17 movies. 18 is exciting, you're an adult, no one can tell you what to do you are an adult, you can sign your own notes at school, buy cigarettes, lotto tickets, and actually be held liable for any stupid things you do. Then 19 and 20 are some what anti-climactic, as the anticipation for your 21st birthday draws nearer. Booze all the booze you want, cause you can buy it yourself. No more loitering outside the liquor store or the local Safeway waiting for some "nice guy" to buy you booze. You can march yourself right in there and buy it yourself... HELL YEAH!
Then starts another long list of birthdays that are well not super exciting...until you get to milestones, 30, 40, 50 etc etc.
BUT as a parents all this changes. Birthdays, while still exciting are also sort of sad. As the time draws near for Natalie to have her first birthday, I can't help but be a bit sad. She's not a baby anymore, although of course she is still a "baby" but it's a different kind of baby. She's now a baby that gets into things, tries my patience, and has a real personality. She's still amazing, and fun and the best thing that has ever happened to me, but I can't help but feel a longing for those days where she'd sleep on my chest for hours, and those days where I waited so long for her to open her eyes even if for just a second. The first smiles, and babbles, and kisses. I know there are so so many more first in store for us, but it's sad to thing how long ago some of those first actually were.
As a kid, teen and young adult, you hear "time flies, enjoy it while you can" from the "old people" all the time, and you think to yourself yeah whatever old guy. Now I realize that those old folks were right, something that is scares me...because if I know they're right than that means I'm turning into one of them, which I know is true as I find myself saying to my friends with younger babies than Natalie "time flies, enjoy it while you can" It is sad but true...