berlfein birthday blog

So many of us, as parents, like to talk about our experiences we've gone thru with our kids over the years. To us, our experiences are funnier and more unique than everyone else's, but truth be told, we all go thru the same things, with a few variations. And we can bore the shit out of everyone else with our stories we share.

EXCEPT ME! My kid’s stories definitely out rank any of yours out there. Ok, not really…but I’ll tell you some anyway since this is my oldest daughter’s birthday today. This will be about her...Casie Rebecca...although I have to say...she's not the one who gave me all the angst. But let's focus on her anyway. Short and sweet!

I'm not really sure how this happened, and usually it happens as the parents get on in age… where we revert to childhood and our kids assume the parental role, but Casie assumed the role of parent when she was 3....in the bathtub! Taking care of her sister. I just sat there in disbelief, thinking how did I let this happen? How is my 3 year old taking care of my 9 month old in the bathtub...calling her sweetie pie and washing her back, asking if she was ok. (and I have proof on my “ super 8 videocam”) and she only became more and more parental towards both Taylor and me as she grew.

Except for one thing…she has me on spider alert 24 hours a day. No one can turn the itsy bitsy spider into a man eating arachnid like Casie can. I have found her standing on counters screaming to me to come kill the largest spider she’s ever seen that’s the size of a pinhead. I have never seen someone go streamlining naked out of the shower because “Charlotte” was crawling up the curtain and Casie would not enter the bathroom until her personal exterminator eradicated the monster.

And talk about interrogation…no one, and I mean not the greatest attorneys around, can ask more questions than Casie can. If you ever want to spill your entire life story, engage in a conversation with my own personal Gloria Allred.

I don’t know if the lawyer/negotiator/manipulator is inherent in all first borns…but I have to say…I had no control over my decisions when it came to negotiating with Casie. And everything was a negotiation.  
Me to Casie…  “please take the trash out”  Casie… “ I will if you give me a dollar”
Me to Casie… “please put your clothes away” Casie…“I will if you take me shopping after”
Me to Casie…”please take Taylor to her friends house” … “ I will if you give me money for In ‘n Out”
Casie to Me… “I’ll tickle your back if you let me stay up late”

She now has me trained that if I’m going to ask her to do something…I have to give her something in return. How the hell did I let THAT happen?  SHE’S GOOD! REALLY, REALLY GOOD!

But I realized…it’s only with me. With others, she’s there doing whatever it takes:  supporting, helping, offering, being there without complaining.  How does that happen?  What the hell did I teach her? Be good to all man/woman kind EXCEPT your mother ? What am I? An Idiot? And if I am an idiot in letting this happen…so be it. At some point…she will pay for being so Great! And I couldn’t be prouder!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CASIE! I LOVE YOU MORE THAN YOU WILL EVER KNOW and YOU LOVE ME MORE THAN YOU WILL EVER REALIZE!