Tomorrow my very first baby will turn eleven years old! How in the world did eleven years go by in the blink of an eye? I vividly remember snuggling Annie in the hospital when she was born. I remember squeezing those uber-chunky baby thighs and listening to her giggle. I remember all the time she and I spent together before the other kids came along...it was such a special time. So, in honor of Annie, my Loo Loo, turning eleven I thought I would highlight what Annie is like these days so I can look back on it and be reminded of these years.
Annie ~ 2013
- Annie is really into birds these days. She has a few books she has checked out from the library and she pages through them day after day reading about birds. She enjoys watching the birds on our bird feeder and drawing them in her little notebook. She discovered a robin's nest in our magnolia tree and she has been keeping a close eye on it (much to the dismay of the mama robin). I have no doubt she will know as soon as those baby birds break out of their eggs and she will be thrilled about it!
- Annie is long and lean. She is such a tall and leggy girl. She gets her height from my side of the family. She is already slightly above my chin when she stands next to me. I can imagine that in a few more years she will be my height or slightly taller. Her height exaggerates her thin frame though and makes her appear even slimmer than she is. Finding clothes to fit her has become a challenge. Anything that is long enough is too big in the waist and anything that fits in the waist is too short. She needs XL tees so that they are long enough, however, they hang on her like a sack because she is so thin. I can remember being the same way when I was her age. One day when she is approaching 40, I will remind of her of these struggles and she will laugh....I know I do.
- Annie is a true bookworm. Her love of reading is wonderful for me. I too am a bookworm and it's so nice to share this passion of reading with her. In fact, tomorrow on her actual birthday we are going to visit a new bookstore and spend hours browsing through books with no younger siblings to distract us. We are both very much looking forward to it. She has been saving every penny in anticipation of this trip. I have no doubt she will come home with an armful of new treasures.
- Annie is an animal lover. I mentioned earlier that her latest craze is birds, but animals in general fascinate her. She spends umpteen hours reading about animals, drawing animals and watching shows about animals. We will also visit a local wildlife center tomorrow on her birthday. She is quite excited to see a black bear and the birds of prey. Her current ambition is to grow up and work with animals. She goes back and forth between whether to be a wildlife vet, a zookeeper or a marine biologist. She is quite serious about her future and already knows that she will have to spend a lot of time with math and science as her companions. Math isn't her favorite subject but she does it without complaint because she knows it will play a role in achieving her dreams.
- Annie is a wonderful big sister! She helps to take care of her younger siblings daily. She is competent at changing diapers, feeding babies, playing patty cake and peek-a-boo and just about anything else required to entertain and take care of a young child. She is patient and kind with all of her younger siblings...for the most part. :) Of course, she does tend to loose patience with Megan and Lily more often than Noah or Claire, but that's to be expected. Annie is also a huge help to me around the house. She takes care of doing her own laundry, cleaning her bathroom and bedroom and even makes lunch for the younger kids on a fairly regular basis. I thank God every day for gracing me with such a helpful and obedient child.
- Annie will be going off to summer camp this year for the first time! She is beyond excited! I am excited for her, but I am also a little sad. I will certainly miss her. She has stayed away from home overnight before but she has never stayed away for more than one night. Summer camp will be four nights and four full days away from home. I know she is looking forward to it. She will get to fish, hike, canoe, swim, play paint ball, do a zip line, spend time with one of her best buddies (her bunkmate) and do a bit of Bible study as well. The camp she is attending is through our church and I am so excited about how she will grow in her walk with God at camp.
So, those are the highlights of my Annie! She is such an amazing little girl and I feel so blessed to be her Mom.
No comments:
Post a Comment