Maddie-AKA Magoo, Madmardigan, Ms Magoo, Madison, etc-has reached the pinnacle of teenage hood and is now 16, glorious 16. Oh, how my brain is aching with this realization. I can't believe my first-born is 16 and will soon be driving herself to all of her social, church and school activities. I feel as though it is the end of an era, which of course, it is. She will get to experience dating and all of the fun that entails. Dating-SCARY! Before I know it she will be going to her first school dance and then.. Ughh.. graduation, college... LIFE NEEDS TO SLOW DOWN A BIT!
To commemorate this fabulous day, I will tell you a few things I love about Maddie.
The first that comes to mind is she is a complete spaz that has no problem laughing at herself. There are probably a hundred stories I could tell of her and her "grace" deficits, but I choose to tell one that occurred just a couple of days ago. Maddie was out weeding, trying to earn some money to pay for a DJ at her sweet 16 party (don't ask me.. she is 16, what do you expect??). She was thoroughly disgusted with the dirt and weed juice she was experiencing, but she proceeded through her discomfort with a grimace that only a 16 year old girl can elicit. She had finished her job and was pushing the big garbage can up the hill, when disaster struck (as only disaster strikes when Maddie is around). You see, Maddie didn't put the lid back up in place before she started pushing the can up the hill. Picture, if you will, Maddie pushing with all of her 16 year old might and then stepping on the lid, which caused the can to fall towards her. Proceed with your mind film and see Maddie flop, face first, INSIDE of the garbage can filled with.. garbage and weed juice. Maddie inside the garbage can, weeds and garbage now all over the yard. Maddie freaking out because she finds a spider and potato bug in her hair. Maddie truly disturbed by this turn of events, but laughing at herself, despite her discomfort. This is a a typical day in the life of Maddie. She is so funny and we love to laugh at her, and with her.
Maddie is the queen of cash. This girl knows how to blow it. I wish I could say that she learned that from Todd, but unfortunately this is a trait I share with her. She loves clothes, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, purses, etc.. and can never keep cash on hand for very long. I won't forget (or forgive) anytime soon the time she lost 50 dollars in a matter of 5 minutes. She went into a store to try on clothes and somehow lost the money. Gone. So annoying. She is a cash deterent, a yin to the cash yang, a cash repellent if you will. I hope she figures this one out before she is 40...Maybe when she figures it out, she can teach me.
Maddie is smart. This girl has amazing test-taking skills (when she studies) and just got a 28 on her ACT which I think is awesome for her first time. Always on the honor roll, even when taking several honors courses and being busy with extracurricular activities. However, what she has in book smarts, she sometimes lacks in street smarts. She once tried to play what she called BIKE SOCCER. As she was riding her bike she spotted a soccer ball and thought it would be cool to try to bump the ball with her bike.. Maddie going fast, Maddie yelling at me to watch her play bike soccer, Me thinking "not such a good idea", Maddie hitting the ball and her bike tire actually going up on the ball, the ball rolling, Maddie and bike down. I will never forget it.
Maddie is a wonderful girl who I am so glad choose me as her mother (Yes, Maddie, you chose me!). She has been our guinea pig child who we have had to learn on and yet, she still loves us.
Beautiful inside and out. And 16. Can't believe it. Love you so much Maddie!
