Since when is it OK to let children drive?!

Has it really been nearly 15 years since these pictures were taken?!

(senna at 18 mos.) 

Its official, our little girl has her drivers license! So I guess looking to my left and seeing my "child" behind the wheel is something I will just have to get used to!

I wont lie, I think I was just as nervous as she was as her car pulled away with the drivers instructor. Weve been practicing for months and to be honest, I wasnt sure what I was going to do if she failed and we were going to have to make time to drive everyday again. Whew, and here I have 3 more kids to do this with! This is work people!

 

So to celebrate, Jeff and I took her out to a restaurant of her choice for lunch and then we had her drive us to the gas station to learn to pump gas! Not sure she loved the camera on her but too bad, she knows she has a crazy mom thats always been determined to capture ALL her milestones! :)

Congratulations Senna!

BUT now Im left to WORRY every time my precious and ONLY daughter steps in that death trap car and drives off on her own...thats one of the most unsettling feelings ever as a parent. Naturally we first think of accidents, then all the what ifs...then I let all the 20/20, Dateline's and 48 hours shows creep in my head of young girls getting kidnapped and dumped in the woods somewhere! I know, I know, its awful. Believe me, I can hear my Moms voice right now as she threw the same at me all those years ago.

But Ive come to realize theres just no easy way to get over this, we WILL worry and ALWAYS worry, no matter how old our kids get.

I just look at her today and its hard to believe this is the same little girl that came into this world early at 4lbs, cried for weeks on end, refused solids, would struggle with her low muscle tone and extreme sensory issues, then go on to need years of therapy to learn to sit up, crawl, walk and eat. It really seems like a lifetime ago now...

but never in our wildest dreams would we believe that years later another one of our beautiful babies would enter our lives struggling just as she did...but even more. As much as it hurts to think about, I pray that Jeff and I will also get a chance to take Jack out to celebrate after completing his drivers test too...certainly a milestone worth celebrating.