Leila’s 10th

My little kid ain’t so little anymore
I don’t know what I did, but now she’s half a score
Yes, Leilita’s 10 – and excuse me while I molt
In this many years again, she’ll be a young adult

So it seems like a good time for a brief review
I’ll be sure to make it rhyme, and it won’t take long before I’m through
She was blue when she came out – she burped and then turned pink
At that point she started to shout, and then she had a drink

She went to her first protest when she was 2 months old
Then she moved out west, after the Houston house was sold
She’s traveled quite a lot with her mom, stepmom and pap
His guitar case, as a tot, was her favorite place to nap

Leila was the star, wherever they would go
No matter how well dad played guitar, she’d always steal the show
It wasn’t long, you know, til she was often overseas
But wherever she might go, you’d often find her in the trees

She was still so young – but what a witty little mensch
Pretty soon her mother tongue was joined by Japanese and French
She usually sees the bright side, she has a lot of fun
On fast roller-coaster rides or just lounging in the sun

She has a finger for fine art, and she’s quite a singer, too
With a wide and open heart and a keen eye for social cues
There’s no way for sure of knowing, but with such smarts and social graces
I don’t know where she’s going, but I’m sure she’s going places

I may not be objective, given the vantage point I’ve had
Is fairly self-selective, since I am her dad
But I just had to say, after all of these 10 years
Well done! Happy birthday! Compai! Senté! Cheers!