*HAPPY BIRTHDAY* Trouble Jr.!

Today my first baby turns 17. (Sigh!) Where did the time go?

As a baby she was sweet and silly.
As a schoolkid she charmed everyone she met and loved school.
As a jr. high kid she loved the Spice Girls.
As a high schooler she went all punk/emo/screamo/electronica
Now, beginning her senior year of high school, she is a poised and (mostly) together young lady.

When some kid in jr. high gave her a hard time for not wearing the unofficial Abercrombie & Fitch school uniform, Sarah totally schooled that kid: "Don't you know the clothes at Ambercrombie & Fitch come from the same sweatshops as the clothes from KMart?" Her affrontery, mixed with intelligence,beauty and charm, garners her the admiration of all.

She reminds me of my sister. She reminds me of myself at her age. When she is hurt or sad I want to die. Sometimes when she smiles I remember her 5-year old self doing an authentic-looking rave dance for an appreciative audience of early-'90s ravers. She always surprises. I'm very proud of her.

She sometimes checks out mom's "totally gay" blog every now and then, won't you please wish her a happy birthday?