. . .now those reindeer, they're real!!!

A very special day is coming up. On Tuesday, October 14th my daughter, Victoria Regina Mullikin Stein will be 32 years old. How can that be? WHere did the time go? I certainly don't remember getting that much older, so how did she? Can it be possible that she is now a mother herself? That would make me a grandmother. Grandmothers are old, and I'm not old. No, this just can't be true. But in case it is, here is a birthday tribute to Victoria.

This was Victoria's first Thanksgiving. As you can see she has enjoyed turkey from the start.
And obviously the triptophan and a full stomach worked.

Her first Christmas she didn't care about that silly old man in the red suit. Looks like her brother wasn't too impressed either.

But she did seem to like that little snowman, especially when you made him move and he played music.

In January 1977 we had her Christened at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Meridian, Mississippi. Her Godparents were Jackie and Jerry Ciciora.

Her second Christmas she really did not care for that old man. Her brother still doesn't look too impressed, do you think?

She did like opening presents, and she liked the doll she got that year. In this picture you can also see my mother, Bernadine Small.

And how cute is this?

She loved laying on this big bean bag chair I made, and while she was actually sleeping, Christopher wasn't. Notice she already was a picky eater--her bottle by her side and her fingers in her mouth.

Christopher went to preschool in MEridian and when they did school pictures they allowed you to bring in siblings to have their pictures taken too.

At about this time Victoria and her brother started to question the reality of Santa Claus. They were still willing to sit with him, but they were a little unsure. One day they had a conversation and Victoria told Christopher, "I don't think Santa Claus is real. I think he's just a man in a red suit. Now, those reindeer, They're REAL!!!"

Another red dress for Christmas.

Looks like Monica was n't any better at picking out hats for Victoria than Bernadine was at picking hats out for Monica.

For a couple months when Michael first was stationed on the USS Tattnall we went to live in Maryland at my mother's.

And while they still weren't sure, Victoria and Christopher made their parents happy by posing with Santa again.

Do you think she liked holding this alligator in St. Augustine?

And once again with Santa. Seems Christopher didn't grow much in that year--notice he seems to be wearing the same shirt he had on the year before.

Now, this was one of the many red dresses I made for Victoria.

Do you believe she actually played T-Ball in Mayport?

And then came the years we promised her a Cabbage Patch Doll for her First Communion. Oh, did we make a mistake. They were the rage and not to be found anywhere. We went as far away as Raleigh, North Carolina, and finally paid a rediculous price for one. In the end, she had about 20 of them, which she now has for Clara. Because her father was a corpsman, each one of them had a real medical record.

No, she isn't a young bride. This was her First Holy Communion in Havelock, North Carolina.

And this was Easter one year in Havelock.

Don't you love school pictures?

And these next several pictures are from when she went to Margaret Fletcher's Dance School in Havelock. She danced in the Nutcracker twice--once as a mouse and once as the King Rat!!!

I'll bet she can't still do this!

I think by this time we were here in South Carolina, and Victoria asked us to get her braces. We took her to Dr. Jan who said he would do it and it would take about six months. Much to his surprise it took more than two years. SHe had to have four teeth pulled, and go back frequently for checkups. Each time they changed the braces they put diffierent colors on--pastels for Easter, black and orange for Halloween and red and green for Christmas. Victoria didn't complain at all about wearing the braces and she loved Dr. Jan.

Victoria played Basketball when she went to Divine Redeemer. . .

. . .and swam on the Weapons Station Swim Team for several years. She enjoyed swimming, but not necessarily the competition.

And look at her poise. She had no trouble balancing that bow on her head when she was 16! Maybe Barney and Agatha helped.
She also loved pigs and had a huge collection of them.

One year she and her brother had their picture taken for us as a Christmas gift. Notice how the braces paid off?

She graduated from Bishop England Catholic High School in Charleston, South Carolina. . .

. . . and Clemson University with a degree in psychology.
When she was still in high school we lived in Menriv Park. It was military housing here in CHarleston. There was a family across the street from us who had a friend who used to come and visit them. Once he came and Victoria was outside, and the friend came over to talk to Victoria. Well, that was the beginning of a beautiful relationship.
Even though Christopher Stein left that summer to go back to Arizona (I think), he and Victoria kept in touch all through her college days. Shortly after she graduated she went to Washington state, which is where he was then. Soon after they married.
For a few years they were stationed here in Charleston.


One year around Christmas she asked us to ahve pictures taken with her. She also included her grandfather in the sitting. Here she is with Michael and me.


And here is actual proof that I really am a grandmother. This is Victoria and Clara Elizabeth Stein. Clara was six weeks early and sooooooo tiny. She weighed under five pounds when she was born. She was absolutely beautiful. This was taken in the NICU at Trident Regional Medical Center.
And here is Miss Clara and her mom when Clara was three months old. Even though she had an early start Clara has done wonderfully. She is beautiful and smart and a real joy.
A couple years later I was a grandmother again with the birth of Jonathan Michael Stein. He waited the full term and he weighed over eight pounds. He was born in Pensacola, Florida.
And here are Clara, Victoria and Jonathan today. Who wouldn't be proud of such a beautiful group.

So, Victoria, enjoy your birthday. I know you miss Christopher, but he will be home soon. I hope Vic and Virginia have arrived by now safe and sound and all of you ahve a great time together. May you have many, many more birthdays. No matter how old you get you will always be my baby. I love you.