The birthday begins

Tomorrow we begin the first part of the kiddie's Sweet 16 celebration. We'll be spending the next several days at a hotel downtown with her best friend, using most of that time to shop our asses off. Saturday the three of us will get all dressed up and have a special dinner at a nice restaurant before we go see the Phantom of the Opera. Just from the things we've already done and the things she knows we have planned, she already keeps proclaiming that "this will be my best birthday ever"! She doesn't know about the surprises I have planned that will knock her socks off. She's always had really great birthdays, that was something really important to me since I never had that. I'm definitely making sure this one tops them all.

Then on Wednesday, which is her actual birth date, we've got another nice dinner planned. When making the reservation I was surprised when they asked if we were celebrating anything special. You don't normally get asked that. I told them we indeed were celebrating something very special and they offered to have balloons and/or roses (not for free, I do have to pay for them) waiting at the table for us when we arrive. I decided to go with a half dozen roses since I know she's told her boyfriend he has to get her a balloon bouquet. I think she'll be very surprised.

On the 13th, we're having my family over for dinner and cake to celebrate. Still have to get this Phantom of the Opera cake ordered, and I have no idea where to get dinner catered from. I don't want to do just pizza this year. Though with four young kids coming over, they'd probably prefer pizza.

The one thing I'm undecided about, and need to figure out the most, is when to give her the letter I wrote to her about 10 years ago, on the day she learned to ride a bicycle. I'll probably save that for next week, after we return home from her birthday dinner because, while I don't remember anything I wrote, I know it will probably bring her to tears. Hell, it brings me to tears just thinking about it what it might say.

She's a very special girl, who's quickly turning into an amazing young woman. As much as I'd love to be able to say I can't wait to see what the future holds for her, I have to take things one day at a time.