You are old enough not to need your mother's approval in order to live. That isn't to say that people don't crave their parent's love and support, not at all. But you are a parent yourself, and old enough and strong enough to find other ways and other people to get the love and affection and positive reinforcement you need. I believe if you stop expecting your mother to change at this late date you will be the happier for it. For whatever reason, your mother is not giving you what you think a mother should. Please try to accept that and move on. It is worth the effort that will take, for your own peace of mind. For what it is worth, I have said some of the same things "You were so cute then", etc. not as a criticism but as a way of putting myself back in that time and to re-experience the love and joy inside myself I felt with my cute one who is now an adult (and still cute in my eyes!). I appreciate your post; I will be more careful what I say to my own child, so that it comes across the way I really intend it.