Sixteen

When I was sixteen you came into my life
All pink and slimy; you rocked my world
My greatest joy was watching you sleep
My favorite sound was listening to you breathe
At times I wished you would sleep all day
I feared your cry and walked the floor with you
But as we grew together I learned to love your cry
And even how to fix you most of the time

I remember bathing you and dressing you
Deciding which pink frilly outfit to show you off in
Has to be about as fashionable as I have every been
And the most fun I ever had with you and clothes
That could be why you hate frilly pink things today

I remember watching you sleep one day
You were about six months old
Your head rested against the pillow and your butt was in the air
I remember I cried because you were sleeping like a real kid
My baby no more

Little did I realize how time would fly
How we would argue and fight
Hurt one another most yet love one another best
Before I knew it you were sixteen
And I remember I cried for the baby you once were and
For the woman you were becoming

Somehow, someway we came out okay
You are a woman beautiful and strong
A woman with love always first in her heart
A mothers pride, a dads joy
And I know today as again I cry with happiness trying to let you go
Wondering everyday if you cleaned your room or changed your underwear
Knowing none of that really matters as you will always be mine
My baby girl

Sheila Gallant