Maggie And Me

Leaving the Nest

I lost my daughter over the weekend. Not in the technical sense -- I knew where she was -- but Maggie has finally cut the umbilical cord.

Maggie went to a friend’s house overnight on Friday, went camping with another friend on Saturday and begged to stay a second night when they returned from the campsite on Sunday. On Monday morning, when I arrived to pick her up, Maggie was disappointed to see me and sorry to leave her friend. We weren’t home for long when another friend called and asked if Maggie could go to Regal Montrose Movies for the afternoon. And off she went again.

Why do the normal developmental changes of childhood sneak up and blindside me when I least expect them?

I know the milestones are a necessary part of her childhood, but somehow I am never prepared when they arrive. One day Maggie is sitting on my lap snuggling and the next day she never does it again. Or, she continually asks for a bedtime story and suddenly I realize she is reading chapter books and hasn’t asked in weeks. The worst part is when I think back on the times I felt I had more important matters to attend to than mothering her.

Now that she's changed I realize I can't get back that time with her.

Maggie has always been a Mama’s girl and we are close, especially since it is just the two of us in the household. Last year, Maggie told me she didn’t want to grow up because we wouldn’t be together all the time. I laughed and told Maggie someday she wouldn’t want to be with me at all, and would spend every moment with her friends. She was appalled and almost cried at the thought. That sentiment didn’t last long, given the events of this past weekend.

Normal pre-teen behavior, of course, but I didn’t expect to feel such sadness at the latest change. I am thrilled she has wonderful friends and has fun with them, but I miss my daughter already.

I thought I was the only one feeling pensive at the latest phase in our lives. But as I drove Maggie to Montrose for the movie, she turned to me and said she missed me over the weekend. I was so glad to hear her words and get a hug before she jumped out of the car, on her way away from me once more.

Of course, she turned back and asked me for $5 for the snack bar before she walked away.  

Maggie and Me - Cat Dog Blog

Fuzzy, slobbery, and always into trouble are the perfect words to describe the love of my life. Not my husband, but my beautiful 6 month old puppy, Maggie. We adopted her from the Humane Society back in January when she was only 10 weeks old. We saw the ad and immediately fell in love. Like many of you, we are going through the trials and tribulations of raising a puppy. My dog is a diva, and her personality comes out in everything she does. When she discovered mud for the first time, she immediately let her attitude show through. Since Maggie is a puppy, frequent trips outside are a must for her bladder in training. We often pass loads of people that she feels the need to jump on, plants she tries to eat, and bugs she tries to play with. But, on the day she discovered mud, her true colors showed through. She took one step and put her paw in the air. She looked at me disgusted as though she just put her Gucci high heel in the muck. She stepped back, smelled it, and tipped her paw to the edge. She was curious like most puppies. After five or so dips with her paw, she decided to throw her inhibitions to the wind and prance around like a parade was about to burst through the weeds. She was so proud of herself for conquering the dirt and grime. Her antics were enough to make any onlooker giggle in delight and part of me didn’t know whether to clap for her accomplishment or roll on the ground from laughing so hard. She also recently discovered what exactly a grasshopper was. Maggie immediately ran over and put her nose directly over the strange object. She shot her eyes at me, looked down at the grasshopper, and looked back to me again. She was in awe. I couldn’t help but laugh as the grasshopper jumped and hit her in the nose. She jumped back startled but nosiness took over and finally after about five times, she realized what it was. Maggie is a hangar thief, a toilet paper confetti monster and a diva that must have her way, but most importantly she is my best friend. She eats my shoes and magazines, but I love her fuzzy squishy face. She makes me laugh and makes me cry. She listens to everything I have to say and never talks back. She enjoys spending all her time with me and I can tell her anything.  We share a million memories and I wouldn’t have her any other way.

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