120 months on a scale of 1- 10

Dear ChellBell,

Today you turn 120 months old, and it doesn't take a math wizard to figure out that your age has just jumped up to 2 digits from having only one for the past 9 years and 364 days. This is a milestone that won't be topped until you hit 100. In other words, today is kind of a big day.

In all of time, or at least since I've been around, it hasn't been good enough to measure things with words. Words like "good" or "great" or "horrid" or "fantastic" just weren't enough. We've always had to measure things with numbers - to score things. We'll say, "how would you rate that?" or "on a scale of one to 10, how was it?" and 10 is always the best. It represents greatness. It represents perfection, and something that couldn't be better. We use the phrase "a perfect 10" to refer to someone who is crazy-beautiful or a balance beam routine that has no flaws. You just can't get better than 10.

It seems less than coincidental that you are turning 10 today, because these really are the best days of your life. Don't get me wrong - growing up is great, and of course getting married and being a Mom can be great also. But at 10, you are discovering how big the world is and who you are choosing to be in that world. Your responsibilities are still relatively light and your days still involve recess and lunch with friends and summer camp. And you have your whole life ahead of you. These are definitely good days. A 10 on a scale of 1 - 10.

You have changed drastically in the past 10 years. So drastically, that it seems like there is no way the time should have passed as quickly as it has. You have gone from being a tiny baby to a silly little girl to a smart and hilarious young lady with so much potential, and you've done it all in what seems to be the blink of an eye. So fast. I might even say Too fast. But with every turn in the road, with every change, with every milestone, you have become more amazing than before.

I love you. I am proud of you. I am proud to be your Mom. I hope you have a wonderful birthday and that you love being 10. Regardless of what this year brings for you, you will always no-matter-what be loved by your family. Our home will always be a safe place to ask questions and talk about life. You will always be important to me, and I will always be grateful to have you as my friend. And I will always feel that having you in my life rates a perfect 10.

Love, Mom

Cella's 10th from Rebecca Darling on Vimeo.