When Your Child Is No Longer A Baby

Time flies fast. It has flown quite rapidly that it seems just a distant past when my daughter was still a baby. Now she is turning 8 and with that comes a lot of changes and complications.

And I guess, I am yet not ready  to let go.

I still want to envelop her with my loving embrace but soon my arms will no longer wrap entirely around her. She is growing bigger everyday.  And surely, will be taller than me when she reaches the adolescent stage.  She finds it amazing that  she now measures up to my shoulder.
 
I still long to cuddle her and sing to her songs when I put her to sleep. How I cherish the feel of her small hands when my slightly bigger hands envelop hers when we walk side by side.

How do I know that my "unica hija" is no longer a baby? These are the telltale signs (some realistic, others ridiculous )  that I find out day by day:

Drawing made by my daughther

1. No longer wants to call her a baby. She requested me not to call her that especially when I take her to school. It`s ok if I use that word at home if I can`t delete it rightaway. She sometimes reprimands  me whenever there is a slip of the tongue, saying, "Mom, you said it again". Oppss..

2. Being slim and petite myself, some of my old clothes when I was a lot slimmer can fit her now. I even gave her one of my summer tops which she adores so much. Pretty soon, we will shop for the same clothes size. Not to mention my shoes. She now wears a size 32 and I am size 35.

3. A small child asks never-ending questions. Bigger children not only ask but has never-ending explanations for everything.  She argues, drives home her point and sways my opinion and gets what she wants in the end.

4. Has some level of independence already. She can now take bath and dress on her own. No longer needs me whenever she uses the bathroom. Well, this is a relief. Now, she knows about intimate body parts and how she has to protect or take care.

5. Making future plans such as planning to live alone or living with her best girlfriend. Asking questions on when I can allow her to do this  and at what age I had  my first boyfriend. Sometimes she says, she will not get married or  don`t want to get pregnant (this after she asked me how she came to this world). Then, after some time, for whatever reason, these plans will modify or change.

6. Wanting to have an intimate diary or journal with lock and key. This she requested as a birthday gift. I told her that she has lots of notebooks and pieces of nice papers to write on. But she insisted that she can`t write her secrets there. Oh well, even small girls are entitled to privacy.

7. Turning out to be my good friend and companion. We find common things to do and enjoy doing them. I was no longer the only one to decide on what things we have to renovate in her bedroom. She has her own ideas on how she likes it. We shop, watch movies, walk around, eat out, paint some stuff... together.  She is even my fashion police, telling me which  clothes and accessories look good together.

The list doesn`t end here, it will go on and on, as the days go by. I just hope that I can guide her properly as she traverse life from one stage to another. I just wish that she remains my sweet little baby even as she grows bigger and taller than me. That she preserves her inner child spirit and zest when she has grown into a fine young woman.