January 5, 1996. My oldest child was born and now she has turned 19.

I vividly remember leaving our apartment in Manhattan to head to the hospital on January 4, 1996. I stood in the doorway for a moment thinking that life would never be the same. So true.

I vividly remember her first birthday party. It was at the Marriott in Uniondale. Mickey Mouse entertained. Jaclyn cried. I wore the ugliest two piece outfit – kind of a long vest with a pants thing. But, Jaclyn was dressed to the nines.

I vividly remember being upset with something she did on January 6, 2002 – the day after she turned 6. I said, “Jaclyn, you are old enough to know better. After all you are six years old now.” Her answer, “But mom, I’ve only been six for a day. Give me some time.”

I vividly remember how poised she was at her bat mitzvah just shy of her 13^th birthday and how struck I was by her command of the podium.

I vividly remember how excited we were in 2012 when she came in 2d in NYS in the American Legion Oratorical Competition and in 2013 when she came in first in the Theodore Roosevelt Public Speaking Competition. Again struck by her command of the podium.

I vividly remember August 23, 2014 as she left us in her freshly put together dorm room because she had a meeting to attend knowing that again, life would never be the same.

And then there was today. A mother and daughter birthday celebration. Shopping and eating. I suspect I will vividly remember today for a long time too.

Life is good.

Happy New Year Gotham and thank you for indulging my stroll down memory lane.