Celebrating a Decade!

Yesterday was Annie's favorite day of the year--her birthday! I thought it would be fun for Annie's tenth birthday to list ten fun facts about her:

1. Just before Annie was born her great Aunt Claris made her a blanket. She was just an infant when we realized she was in love with the blanket. Well before she was a year old she named the blankie Mynomy and to this day cannot sleep without it.

2. There may never have existed a sister in love with a baby brother as Annie is with Justin. She affectionately refers to him as Duhdin and can hardly keep her eyes in focus when she is around him. He really is that cute.

3. Annie has washboard abs. She is tough. She hates that she does so well in PE, but she just can't help it and would never consider not trying just to be mediocre. She finds great joy and success in gymnastics and will NOT do any other sport thank you very much.

4. Oh boy does Annie love music! Her ipod is among her most prized possessions and we refer to Annie as our family DJ as she keeps the car thumpin' as we make our way here there and everywhere.

5. As much as she would like to keep her room clean, she just can't. She is very sweet to thank me for finding her room under all the layers of chaos when I clean up after her.

6. Emma is Annie's best friend/worst enemy.

7. Annie loves clothes and putting together her outfits. Caution: this is VERY time consuming.

8. Another word of caution: NEVER let Annie get too hungry. It is disastrous.

9. This has been a year of great successes for Annie. She is doing so well in Math (hooray!) and in all of school, in gymnastics, in piano, and is in a very happy place.

10. Annie requires very little sleep. Fortunately she likes to read and will often spend well over an hour (sometimes two) enjoying a book before she finally goes to sleep.

Very unlike herself, Emma was feeling a little jealous of Annie. Annie got some cash from Grandma Amy and Emma's bottom lip hit the floor.

As Annie turns ten, I have been reflecting on the fact that 10 years ago we became parents. So much has happened in ten years. When we brought sweet little Annie Jo home, we never thought in so short a time this would be us: