Tuesday, June 26, 2012

The Big 8!

To say that June has been a busy month would be a severe understatement. We've had some major events this month. Major. Perhaps one of the most important happenings is that my first-born daughter (yeah...did you get that?) turned 8!!! Holy moly! I cannot believe that 8 years have passed since she blessed our lives with her beautiful presence. 8 years!

For the first celebration of the birth of my first girl, the family gathered together. Leenie and Grandpa came from Raleigh. Popi and Babi came from a few minutes away. And we all got our grub on at Ella's favorite restaurant, Yamato! Now, this kid got some sweet birthday presents this year, but I don't know if even a phat mountain bike and an iPod touch can compete with the yummy goodness that is part of the experience at Yamato. Ella loves it that much.


For the friend part of the birthday festivities, we toned it down a little this year. We usually have a big, huge pool party for my girl, but with my condition (9 months pregnant), Ella graciously decided that having a few of her nearest and dearest girls for a movie and a swim would suffice. So, with Mary Claire, Saylor, Mary, Jesma, and Emily, we caught a viewing of Madagascar 3 and cruised on over to Popi and Babi's pool for hotdogs and ice cream cake. Now, I must say that a car full of 7 & 8 year old girls is quite an experience. A very loud, high-pitched, squealy experience, sprinkled with "like" and modern-day valley-girl talk. Throw in a little Adele, and you can actually touch the girly energy bouncing all around the van. (Yes, the minivan...it doesn't appear to be going anywhere.)

Ella's cousins Kelley and Dean were waiting for us at Popi and Babi's, which made our girl group complete. There was music and laughter and more high-pitched, squealy loudness...it was perfect. All of the girls that were there have been a part of this party experience since way back when in Ella's preschool days, and it's quite a sight to see them grow and change and remain friends along the way. I'm very thankful for moments of simple happy fun like these.

Most importantly, I'm thankful for my Ella. She's growing up so fast. Too fast. I want her to always know how much I cherish her and every second of her life. She is so precious. Happy birthday, my love.

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