Elle's 17th Birthday

My only daughter, Elle Dawn, turned 17 yesterday.  She was born on 09/03/93.  Cool birth date, huh?  She is my namesake, my name being Dawn Ellen.  I was my Great Grandma's namesake, her name being Ella.  It makes me very scared that she is a junior this year.  One more year until she goes away to college.  One more year at home with us.  It will be so hard to let her go.  Let her live independently.  Make her own mistakes.  Live and learn.  Deal with boys who want to use her and break her heart.  I'm actually hoping that she has a boyfriend when she goes to college, then she won't be put in that situation.  The situation that I was in when I went to college. (Actually, I had a boyfriend when I went to college, and broke up with him after the first week there.  After seeing all the cute guys there! lol!  My boyfriend was about 2 years younger than me and I was doing him a favor, right?)  Anyway, back to Elle.

When I was pregnant with Elle 17 year ago, I had preeclampsia (toxemia).  I was induced two weeks early.  I had my water broken and things didn't go too quickly after that.  I was in labor for 28 hours.  I was suck at 9 centimeters dilated.  The doctor decided she had to get her out.  She tried using a vacuum extractor and it broke.  Then she used forceps to pull her out.  Elle came out with a big bruises on her little cheeks, but she was out.  She was stubborn then and is still stubborn now.  Her umbilical cord was wrapped around her shoulder, so when she did come out, she wasn't breathing right away.  But, soon after.  She weighed in at 6 lbs, 9 oz, 21 inches long.  A really long skinny baby.

Today she is about 5'6" and is a size 0.  Still skinny!  She is a quite child, just like she was when we came out.  Very shy.  She is an athlete.  She plays volleyball, basketball and track.  She is a long-distance runner.  She has some unique traits.  Her thumbs have always been irregularly shaped - short and fat.  When she was 15, we discovered this was due to her having Poland Syndrome, a birth defect.  She had to have surgery at 16 to fix another symptom of this syndrome.  Nothing major, she is completely fine now.

Elle is a selfless soul, always giving to others and never wanting anything in return.  When we ask her what she wants for her birthday or Christmas, she will say, "Nothing."  She is very kind and considerate.  She is not someone who raises her voice or gets mad easily.  She is one who doesn't complain and just deals with things.  I'm not sure where she gets this from, because I complain a lot.  Maybe from her dad?  I've also always know what I wanted for birthdays or Christmas.  This is also from her dad. Daddy's little girl.

Being the first child, Elle has had to endure being the first jock in the family.  My husband is a sports fanatic.  He has coached  her in softball, soccer, volleyball and basketball.  He soon discovered that girls are very emotional creatures and couldn't take it anymore!  lol!  Thank God our second child was a boy!

Anyway, happy birthday Elle!  I'm going to make the most out of the last two years I have her at home and try to spoil her often!  My message to all the moms out there is not to take your children for granted, because one day you will wake up and they will be gone to college.