While some girls consider themselves Daddy's girls, I have always considered myself more of a Momma's girl. Yes, like any mother-daughter duo, we have our fair share of disagreements, but I could only wish to be a woman as wonderful as her. It is my mom's 53rd birthday -- I can already tell you she is going to kill me for admitting her age; but no worries, Mom, you are still flirty 'n' thirty at heart -- and in honor of this special occasion, here are 53 reasons I am so grateful that I have my beautiful mom, Mary, in my life.

1. You instilled in me at a very early age that in order to get things in life, you have to work for it.
2. Thanks to you, I am not one of the college students who think that they deserve a good grade and a desirable job without putting in work to obtain them.
3. While you may sometimes practice the tough love way of parenting, you are always the first to comfort me when I am having trouble with anything.
4. Thanks for teaching me how to tie my shoes.
5. You make the best home-cooked meals.
6. You insist that I come home periodically to eat those home-cooked meals when I am sick of dorm food.
7. Thanks for nursing me back to health when I'm not feelin' too hot.
8. You always put everyone else before yourself.
9. Thanks for being Santa for so many years.
10. You still love me when I say things that I don't mean when I'm angry.
11. You trust my judgment.
12. You call me out when I am wrong in my actions.
13. You encourage me when I am doing right.
14. You keep me grounded and level-headed.
15. Thanks for always telling me that I have worth.
16. You find some really great Groupon and LivingSocial deals.
17. Thanks you for using those deals to take me to cool restaurants for some mother-daughter bonding time.
18. You always insist on buying groceries for me, so I am not a poor and hungry college student.
19. I think all of this food stuff is the Italian in you, so thanks for that.
20. You love me even though I went through a really awkward and ugly stage from fifth grade through freshmen year.
21. You instilled the importance of education.
22. You give me a reason to feel blessed each and every day.
23. You became friends with all of my friends' moms so we can all hang out together.
24. And by “hang out" I mean thanks for going with us to bar bingo.
25. You always used to make sure my seat belt was buckled to ensure my safety.
26. You never neglect to embarrass me in public with your wacky dance moves.
27. Going off of that, thanks for never taking things too seriously.
28. You put me through private elementary school, middle school and high school on a teacher's salary.
29. You put up with our emotional and passionate family.
30. Thanks for putting up with me when I'm in my moods.
31. You never made me feel like the “forgotten middle child."
32. I guess you are kind of responsible for me even being here so thanks for that
33. You always support my ventures.
34. You treat me as an adult now that I am older.
35. Thanks for wearing the pants in the family because nothing would get done if Dad wore them.
36. You see the best in me.
37. Even when I make mistakes, you still see the best in me.
38. You let us have a pet guinea pig when we were kids.
39. You cleaned our guinea pig's cage even though that definitely should have been the kids' responsibility.
40. Thanks for driving me to all of my practices and dance competitions.
41. And thanks for sitting through eight hour long competitions, just to watch me dance for three minutes.
42. You are responsible for fostering my love of sushi.
43. You love and care for my friends as much as you love and care for me.
44. You tried your best to be a stage mom when I was involved in dance even though it was not up your alley at all!
45. You listen to my rants.
46. Thanks for knowing all the answers to every question when Dad is of no help.
47. Like helping me find my blue shirt that I thought I put in the washing machine but is really just under my bed.
48. Thanks for teaching me how to do laundry, so I wasn't completely clueless in college.
49. You taught me the value of a dollar and how to be frugal with my money.
50. You give the best back massages.
51. You know all of my favorite things.
52. You are right (most of the time).
53. And most importantly, I am thankful that you will always be my best friend.

I hope you have a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious birthday! I love you so much!