Eight Is Great!

My little girl turned eight years old today. EIGHT. I can't process that. She was turning four yesterday. YESTERDAY. I still remember the pink gingham dress with little lavender flowers that she wore on her fourth birthday. I though four sounded so old. Now she is eight.

My joyful girl had a wonderful birthday... and I had a wonderful time spending time with my girl.



My mom took off work to spend the day at the beach with the birthday girl, her brothers, and I. We had SUCH a good time playing in the sun and water.


Me and my girl (and one of my guys :)


It doesn't get any better than this!


Grammy (as Kirsten calls her) or Mimi (as Matt and Danny call her) helped the boys make a birthday cake for their sissy in the sand.




"What's gonna work? TEAM-WORK!" (This is a line from a kind of obnoxious but very cute song the "Wonder Pets" sing. Matt and Danny like to sing it- very loud- when they are working together. CUTE.)



After the beach we rinsed off in Grammy's pool and Brian and Grandpa joined us for the "present party".


Eight or eighteen? How grown-up does she look in her new dress??


We finished our day-long celebration by going out to dinner... maybe a bit too ambitious for the boys and I :) but fun none the less!


Top 8 Reasons I Love You, Birthday Girl

8. You cry at movies. All movies. We had to leave "Chicken Little" because you started to hyper-ventilate. You have the biggest heart. You are so empathetic and you feel with all your heart (and then some!).

7. You give 110% to everything (except cleaning your room :) You run faster, jump higher, and hug tighter than anyone else I know. You are fully present in every moment of your life. I admire that so much. It makes me want to be like you more than you'll ever know.

6. You are silly, goofy, and fun.

5. You are such an awesome big sister. You love your crazy, little brothers so much. Everyone asks if you get jealous. NEVER. You consider yourself a "little Mommy". You beg to wake up your brothers each morning and they throw themselves on the floor crying when you leave.

4. You are my girly girl. The one I've prayed for and dreamed of since I was eight years old. You love to have your hair curled, toe nails polished, and to wear dresses.

3. You are tough. I think you'll be a great athlete someday... or some other "tough", "cool" thing that I've never been. When you fall off the bars at gymnastics you jump right back on (and then have to be pulled off by your instructors to stop your bloody nose). It takes a lot to slow you down.

2. You take care of me. You are the person who plays with my hair, and rubs my head because you know I love it. You paint me pictures, write me letters, and tell me secrets. You fill me up in a way that no one else can.

1. You are my baby. You always will be. No matter how big you get... you will always be my little girl. I am so grateful that I get the privilege of being your mother. I love that you are my daughter.

Thank you for the privilege of loving you. You are my heart, little girl.