She was born with a full head of blond curls and a cry so loud it startled the nurses.  "This one is a firecracker, for sure."  My demure obstetrician said as he handed over my daughter.  Which is what every parent wants to hear upon delivering a child, seeing that "ten fingers and ten toes" is totally overrated anyhow.

Little did I know that his words would later define her.  She's everything I am not.  Insert three thousand adjectives describing "strong" and it would still fall short of characterizing her.  Whereas I'm laid-back and often politely accept "no" for an answer; she's overly energetic and her first word were viscous screams of "no."  It's been an adventure to parent a child so polar opposite, finding the fine line between acceptance and appreciation.

"I just went off the high dive all by myself!"  She stood before me drenched in overly chlorinated water this afternoon.

"You did what?"

"I went off the high dive Mama!" 

"What did you say?"  I repeated, putting down my latest People magazine.

"I. Jumped.  And flew like a bird into the water.  It was sooooooo much fun!" 

"......"

"Mama?"

"......"

"Mama!"

"......"

"Come watch me Mama!  Watch me fly like a bird!"

I stood before the high dive at the same pool that I spent countless summers at, in Chicago.  I watched my fearless daughter climb the stairs of the diving board.  And somewhere between her jumping off and reaching the water, I gasped for air.

"Did you see?  Did you see me?"

"......."

"Mooooooooom.  Did you see me?"

"I saw you, girlfriend.  You did great!"  I blanketed my true emotions.  You ARE crazy!  What are you thinking? I was twelve before I even attempted the high dive and it took me all summer to do so.  Why didn't the lifeguards measure you?  How could you do this to me?  I can't breath.  Don't ever think of doing that again this summer.

"Can you believe it - I am only six and I did it!  Do you think Kasia will believe it?"

"......."

"I'm gonna do it again.  Take a picture!"

Taken with my BlackBerry.  Notice how small my 5'10" husband, waiting in line on the ground, is.

"You are awesome!"  I said. Acceptance and appreciation of my little firecracker.