The Best Birthday Present Ever

Have you ever seen the show "The Best Of" on Food Network?  If you asked me a little over a year ago what the best birthday present I ever got was, I'd probably dig deep and throw out the very first CD player I was given for my tenth birthday from my Uncle Giuliano along with Madonna's Immaculate Collection CD.  If you knew my uncle, you'd just find the whole thought of him buying that CD comical.  But it was one of my most memorable and beloved gifts.  What I didn't even realize at the time and heck most days still tend to overlook and under-appreciate are my parents. They were my very first birthday present and above all else cannot be replaced with the bestest ever.  

I never say thank you enough to them or am as kind or devoted to them as I should be but I'd be lost without them.  They each excel in their own qualities in the parenting universe.  Mom was always the disciplinarian even if she completely lost her edge the day that Olivia was born and "Precious" entered the universe.  Dad has generally been my voice of reason whenever I'm particularly headstrong or impulsive in the decision making processes throughout life.  I got to thinking about them in specifically this past weekend as Olivia was cutting molars, had an erratic sleep schedule and diminished appetite.  What a perfectly wonderful NORMAL thing to worry about.  

Most parents rightfully look forward to watching their kids get older, establish their own lives, become financially independent and experience some sort of diminished amount of worry in the day to day living.  I don't think my parents were any different; it just so happened that the onset of their impending first grandchild presented with her own set of unique worries.  Enter my parents: I have not really lost much sleep in the past four years because I knew that generally my parents were losing it for me!  My mom was broken hearted at Olivia's HLHS diagnosis.  She was ever the proud grandma as Olivia seemingly kicked three surgeries tushies.  She was a complete wreck and thrown for a loop when last September we got the first bitter pill that the Fontan was likely not the last of surgeries for Miss Liv.  

Throughout my entire life these two people have alternately driven me moderately crazy on a semi normal basis.  Sometimes clucking at me to take care of myself, other times to be more considerate of others around me, most recently just asking about the most mundane day to day of Olivia's life.  But THEY CARE and they are here for me always and forever until all breath has left their bodies.  I have never had a day go by that I questioned their love or best interests for me and there's not a thing I would do differently for Olivia in the long term view from what my parents did for me.  I know how lucky I am and how blessed I started this life of mine with the best set of parents I could have ever dreamed up.  

Mom/Dad - this is worth about a one day pass from a token eye roll.  

I love you always