We are in Oceanside, California celebrating my baby girl's 23rd birthday. Laila is easy to love. She is genuine and interested. She's a great listener, polite, and very grateful for even the smallest gesture. She is empathetic and cares deeply and I love to hear her belly laugh. She can't walk by a person with their hand out and not give something. Just yesterday on a corner in Carlsbad, CA a man had a sign saying "My mom is sick, anything would help"..and she gave him a dollar. Of course, she did...that's who she has always been.
When I'm around her I'm reminded how very different we are.
She likes Anime and horror shows I prefer rom-coms and reading books. Laila moves methodically and thinks about things and plans, I move fast and I am spur of the moment. Laila is very aware of germs and washes her hands a lot, I will eat food dropped on the floor (5-second rule). She likes subdued colors and neutrals, I like bright colors. She is an animal lover, I'm an animal tolerator. She doesn't understand sarcasm...and is very sincere. I have had to learn to NOT be sarcastic. She reminds me to slow down and I remind her to lighten up.
At one point I hoped I would have a daughter JUST LIKE ME... who liked to go shopping, and play games, and sing loud, and be crafty, and love being involved at church, and being around people, a daughter who would sit and talk about ALL of the things with me and share her deepest thoughts and dreams with a daily phone call. That's not who I got.
We are very different from each other, and that's what makes it special.
She loves Din Tai Fung.... well, we all do... so that's her birthday spot. The Soup dumplings, Cucumber salad and Garlic green beans are life changing! We did a little shopping, and also got some Salt and straw ice cream...the flavors are scrumptious and non-dairy!
I made Laila and I matching sweaters. She picked out the yarn in November, and now I'm done crocheting. She loved it! We decorated her place, and had cake and a silly string war- to celebrate.
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