2-15-03: natalie is officially a teenager today
I still can't wrap my mind around the fact that I have a 13 year old daughter. Natalie may have given me a lot of grief, frustration and ulcers in her 13 years, but she has more than made up for it with her love, affection, sense of humor and inner beauty. I could tell you a ton of stories about Natalie (we used to call her Gnat - don't let Lileks fool you into thinking he's original!); in fact, I already have told plenty of stories.
There's the story of her first boyfriend, and the subsequent break up of that relationship just days later. There's her gothic martyr poetry and our discussion about oral sex.
Oh, and here's her view on Martin Luther King, her letter to Mayor Rudy, and proof that even though she can be a huge pain in the ass - a defiant, sarcastic teenager - she has a good heart and a beautiful soul.
Happy Birthday, Natalie. I know the day is coming near when you will accidently find this site. I apologize for posting all those embarassing stories about you, but rest assured that I always even those stories out with the good ones. I love you.
Thirteen. Teenager. I think I'll pick up a case of Excedrin Migraine and some heavy artillery liquor to get me through the next few years.
Comments
Natalie Rose a.k.a. Pumpkin Head.
Has it really been 13 years since we first met her? It feels like yesterday. I remember almost every detail about that day. Michele was in labor for hours and we were waiting patiently. We got to the hospital around 12:30pm and I had to be at work at 4:00pm. Plenty of time I
thought! Ha! Natalie didn't want to come out. With all the time it was taking for her to get ready to be born, we all knew for sure it would be a girl!
Then at 5:01pm she graced us all with her presence! We ran to look in on her. She was alone in a corner of the room, right in front of the window. Arms flailing, legs kicking, bright pink and SCREAMING!!! I
tease Natalie to this day about how she came into this world having a hissy fit, and that not much has changed! I tell her how awful Michele looked afterwards and then remind her that D.J. came into this world
sleeping like a… well… a baby and that Michele looked great! I get the
obligatory “Oh, shut up! WhatEVER!” Natalie reminds me of me so much,it’s scary. We’re not talking about the best traits either!
She's a procrastinator. She starts projects and never finishes them. She's loud
and WHINY! She's very goofy and silly and warped. She's got a wicked sense of humor. Heaven help her, she even looks like me. She could pass for my own. I call her L.G. for Little Girl. She says she's not little
anymore, but I tell her that she'll always be littler than me, so the name sticks.
She used to wrap her arms around my neck and dangle in front of me yelling ”Hey everyone, look at Aunt Lisa's necklace!” Well, she tried it again the other day. Let's just say that even though my “necklace” is almost taller than me, she'll always be my little Pumpkin Head!
Happy 13th Birthday, Little Girl.
Posted by: aunt lisa | February 15, 2003 07:18 AM
Happy 13th Brithday Natalie
Posted by: Jules | February 15, 2003 07:35 AM
happy birthday natalie. :)
Posted by: kat | February 15, 2003 08:02 AM
Two words, m'dear: WILD TURKEY...and lots of it!!
Posted by: Jack Cluth | February 15, 2003 08:28 AM
Happy Birthday Natalie! I don't know you, but if you are anything like your Mom, then you must be a great kid.
You also share the same birthday as one of my little rugrats which is pretty cool.
Posted by: Jay Caruso | February 15, 2003 08:31 AM
Happy Birthday Natalie. Now's where the real fun begins in giving your mom hell. evil grin.
Posted by: statia | February 15, 2003 09:08 AM
Happy Birthday, Natalie!
Don't be too hard on your old (did I say old? I meant...um...well, yeah...) mother. ;p
Posted by: Solonor | February 15, 2003 09:13 AM
Happy Birthday to my littel Bratalie! She makes us all feel old!
And to mom, The shots are on me tonight if your interested!
Posted by: Jo-Anne | February 15, 2003 09:15 AM
Happy Birthday, Natalie! You have a great name, as it happens to be the same as my mom's. Your mom has great taste.
Posted by: Lesley | February 15, 2003 10:08 AM
Happy Birthday Natalie! You're officially a teen-ager now.
Michele, a case of Excedrin won't be nearly enough, trust me.
Posted by: Rita | February 15, 2003 10:39 AM
Natalie: Happy birthday.
Michele: Thanks for a wonderful post and a beautiful pic ... brought some spring to this winter day. And Michele, I want to offer one piece of advice, if I may:
Don't celebrate the birth ... reinact the conception.
Posted by: Alan | February 15, 2003 10:39 AM
Alan, considering her father is me EX husband I am going to pass on that suggestion.
Thanks anyhow!
Posted by: michele | February 15, 2003 10:48 AM
Happy birthday Natalie! You've turned into a beautiful young woman!
Dean and Rosemary Esmay
Posted by: Dean amd Rosemary Esmay | February 15, 2003 11:38 AM
Happy Birthday Beautiful!
Posted by: Dawn | February 15, 2003 11:41 AM
Biba Comple Anos Natalie, I read your letter
to the Mayor and your memorial idea gave me goose bumps..As a Vietnam vet, I was impressed on your comparison of the VietNam Wall and the yet to be erected memorial for 911..That's profound for a TEENAGER..Happy Birthday..
Posted by: AT DeLosReyes | February 15, 2003 11:51 AM
I started to read one linked post and got sucked into all of them. What an angel!
Happy birthday to her, and best of luck to you both!
Posted by: A. | February 15, 2003 12:01 PM
Happy birthday, Natalie! I hope that you continue to grow and become the fascinating woman that your mom describes. You'll be a force like no other!
Posted by: Da Goddess | February 15, 2003 12:42 PM
Happy Birthday Natalie!
I'm now going to go read all the stories about you. I'm sure they'll be wonderful.
Posted by: Sunidesus | February 15, 2003 01:32 PM
Have a Merry Birthday and a happy new year.
I'll bring the beer and (ITALIAN) wine for the party.
Posted by: scot | February 15, 2003 02:11 PM
Lady, you are awesome mom and yes, Natalie is gonna kill you.
Posted by: feste | February 15, 2003 02:41 PM
Happy birthday , Natalie- if you're anything like your mom, you're a fine young lady with a bright future.
Posted by: Bill H | February 15, 2003 02:47 PM
Happy Birthday Natalie!!
Posted by: Angie | February 15, 2003 04:27 PM
Happy Birthday, Natalie! Welcome to the ten most difficult years of your life. :-)
Posted by: Keith | February 15, 2003 04:46 PM
Happy Birthday, Natalie!
Michele, as a mom of two girls (19 & 20), I can promise you the best of the worst is yet to come ;)
She's a beautiful young lady...I know you're proud!
Posted by: deb | February 15, 2003 04:47 PM
She's such a beauty.
Posted by: melly | February 15, 2003 07:48 PM
Happy Birthday, heartbreaker!
Yeah, Michele, the day will come when she stumbles across this site and wants to kill you for posting those stories...but another day will follow, when she realizes that you only did it because you love and dote on her. Then she'll wish she'd found it sooner.
Posted by: Kevin Parrott | February 15, 2003 10:43 PM
Happy birthday, Natalie. Remember; Mom doesn't know everything, true, but she does know a lot. Learn from her.
Posted by: Greg | February 16, 2003 12:28 AM
Happy birthday Natalie! And good luck to you on getting through it. Just remember, Jose Cuervo can be a good friend...
Posted by: Christine | February 16, 2003 04:04 AM
happy birthday!
(welcome to the Other Side)
(but you have a cool mom so it'd be right eh?)
hugs
Posted by: racheal | February 16, 2003 05:12 AM
Happy birthday, Natalie!
You have a wonderful mom (whom I adore), and you sound like a wonderful young lady.
Enjoy! All best wishes to you now and forever --
Arthur
Posted by: Arthur Silber | February 16, 2003 01:54 PM
happy birthday natalie. :) when i turned 13 my mom said "so now it begins. you will turn into an alien." at the time i thought she was just being really dumb (you know how moms are), but in the end she was right. i did, in fact, turn into an alien, and have yet to change back into a person.
be prepared, young padawan. over the next few years you will alternately passionately love your mother and just as passionately hate her. yes, yes.
oh, and one more piece of advice: boys are icky. don't kiss them, they have cooties.
Posted by: bran | February 17, 2003 07:22 AM
A very Happy Birthday to you, Natalie!
Posted by: Justin DuCote` | February 17, 2003 10:23 AM
Happy Birthday and many happy returns.
Posted by: Jonathan Davis | February 17, 2003 01:38 PM
I'm so late! I hope her b-day was glorious.
Posted by: starmama | February 17, 2003 06:23 PM
HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATALIE!!
I know ever know you but, enjoy being a teen:) its okay!!!!!!!
Posted by: lisa | February 17, 2003 08:40 PM