My Annie Bananie
13 Years Old
Thirteen years ago, this remarkable girl made me a Mom. And then I was REALLY, REALLY, tired for several years, so I'm grateful there are so many great pictures to help me remember what happened after that. I cannot believe we are already celebrating her becoming a teenager! I'm pleased to say I'm loving this phase of her life -- although poor Greg may not always feel the same, since any of her teen angst does seem to spill out in his direction 
. I try REALLY hard not to laugh, and even get after her when she's too rotten. But my precocious preschooler (who I'm sure positive a non-disclosure statement to never speak of her school day) has grown into a full fledged teenager, who comes home late from hanging out with her friends (who, by the way, are the best group of kids a Mom could EVER pick for her kid) and plops herself next to me in bed, and gushes over ALL the details of her night. She wants to cuddle with me when she doesn't feel well, and talk to me when she's upset, and she texts me the highlights and lowlights of her day. Her friends also text and Marco Polo me from her account to 'tattle' on her for being a totally 'rotten' student at school, which is hilarious and a highlight of my day when I get those hacked texts from all those sweet girls. I want to freeze time and just stay here, in this phase of our relationship, for as long as I can. Which is not something I ever imagined I'd say about her Middle School years. This girl loves her family -- she loves being the oldest and most responsible and dependable in an extended family full of younger cousins. She will pick spending time with her cousins over just about anything, and I love how much she loves them. Some of her cousins live incredibly far away, and it's been fun to watch her develop those relationships through technology, as she's excited to find new ways to communicate with the only cousin she has near her age, while he's in Saudi Arabia and she's in Utah. She is so bright, mature, funny, sweet, accomplished, dependable, driven, caring, and loyal -- she is the best big sister to her younger siblings (until she's a monster, who is determined to break their will and destroy their self esteem, but that's not all the time, and we're working on it -- and it's mostly aimed at Greg. Poor Greg. But he knows how much she secretly loves him, when she tries her BEST not to smile at his Dad jokes, or feigns mild disgust at the idea of spending time with him, then tricks him into taking her out just the two of them to spend time together.) She's stubborn, always has been, but she's willing to listen and will eventually come back and admit she's made a mistake. She makes me proud to be her Mom. But mostly she fills my heart with an overwhelming joy in the inexplicableness that I could be the Mom of this incredible person -- who is going to go out and touch and effect the world in more ways that I can count. That I've been given the privilege and honor to watch her grow into who she's meant to be, and play a role in helping her figure that out. I couldn't have asked for a more amazing first born daughter -- and she has shaped my life, and our family, in more ways than I'll ever be able to count or adequately express my gratitude for. Happy Birthday, Bananie.
. I try REALLY hard not to laugh, and even get after her when she's too rotten. But my precocious preschooler (who I'm sure positive a non-disclosure statement to never speak of her school day) has grown into a full fledged teenager, who comes home late from hanging out with her friends (who, by the way, are the best group of kids a Mom could EVER pick for her kid) and plops herself next to me in bed, and gushes over ALL the details of her night. She wants to cuddle with me when she doesn't feel well, and talk to me when she's upset, and she texts me the highlights and lowlights of her day. Her friends also text and Marco Polo me from her account to 'tattle' on her for being a totally 'rotten' student at school, which is hilarious and a highlight of my day when I get those hacked texts from all those sweet girls. I want to freeze time and just stay here, in this phase of our relationship, for as long as I can. Which is not something I ever imagined I'd say about her Middle School years. This girl loves her family -- she loves being the oldest and most responsible and dependable in an extended family full of younger cousins. She will pick spending time with her cousins over just about anything, and I love how much she loves them. Some of her cousins live incredibly far away, and it's been fun to watch her develop those relationships through technology, as she's excited to find new ways to communicate with the only cousin she has near her age, while he's in Saudi Arabia and she's in Utah. She is so bright, mature, funny, sweet, accomplished, dependable, driven, caring, and loyal -- she is the best big sister to her younger siblings (until she's a monster, who is determined to break their will and destroy their self esteem, but that's not all the time, and we're working on it -- and it's mostly aimed at Greg. Poor Greg. But he knows how much she secretly loves him, when she tries her BEST not to smile at his Dad jokes, or feigns mild disgust at the idea of spending time with him, then tricks him into taking her out just the two of them to spend time together.) She's stubborn, always has been, but she's willing to listen and will eventually come back and admit she's made a mistake. She makes me proud to be her Mom. But mostly she fills my heart with an overwhelming joy in the inexplicableness that I could be the Mom of this incredible person -- who is going to go out and touch and effect the world in more ways that I can count. That I've been given the privilege and honor to watch her grow into who she's meant to be, and play a role in helping her figure that out. I couldn't have asked for a more amazing first born daughter -- and she has shaped my life, and our family, in more ways than I'll ever be able to count or adequately express my gratitude for. Happy Birthday, Bananie.
P.S. I'm totally aware that one day, one of our adolescent's teen angst will be fully turned on one parent who is not Greg -- and I'll have the full brunt of their wrath aimed at me while they cozy up to Greg and make him their best friend (my guess is Ellie, then Owen), and it won't be quite as amusing as it is to me now
My Ellie Belly
11 Years Old
My girls love sharing their birthday weekend. For the most part. It can be hard for Ellie sometimes to have her birthday come second. She opted to open her presents with Annie yesterday, because she is not the most patient 
, but then worries it won't feel enough like her birthday today. (I set one surprise aside so she has something to open today, because as tempting as not waiting another day was, she'd regret it if there was nothing for today). She is enthusiastic and excited about everything, but with all her big emotions so close to the surface, she's also my most likely lately to feel hurt or small -- and her being anything less than 100% confident and sure of herself has not been my favorite part of her pre-teen years. Ellie is, and always has been, one of the happiest, bubbliest, friendliest, enthusiastic, expressive, joyous humans I've ever known. She lives life so big and is so much fun; she's creative, bright, an engineer at heart, a problem solver, outgoing, social, kind, generous, energetic, loving, joyful, spontaneous, and pure and utter sunshine. She also is my most oblivious child She is often smack dab in the middle of any drama going on with siblings or friends, though likely has no idea how she ended up there, or sometimes that there even is drama. She has always been a beautiful little whirlwind that blows through life, not aware of the little wake of destruction she's left, because the child does not have a mean or deliberate bone in her body -- but when she was younger, if something was broken in our house, there was a 95% chance Ellie had broken it. And hadn't realized it. If there was a little brother crying, there was a 75% chance it was because of something Ellie had just said or did, but if she noticed there was now a sobbing sibling, she was utterly confused as to why they weren't smiling and would likely have no idea she was the cause of their distress. She has spent most of her journey through life with a big ol' smile on her face, and boundless enthusiasm and energy. Almost everyone who has ever described Ellie to me has used the word 'sunshine' at some point. And everyone comments on her giant smile. She is everyone in my family's favorite person to buy gifts for -- because you've never seen ANYONE so excited about opening anything and everything as this girl. Her joy and enthusiasm is contagious, and we're a happier, more playful, fun, lighthearted family for having her around. Whereas Annie has often been a mini-me, whose reactions and decisions make complete and total sense to me, Ellie is something completely different, and her spontaneity and zest for life have been a beautiful challenge for me to learn to understand and to be changed by. She has her Dad wrapped around her little finger -- which is true actually of a lot of people, because who doesn't love being loved enthusiastically and completely by a ball of sunshine? I love watching her and her big sister be each other's best friends. As I'm watching her grow into her pre-teen years, I'm curious what life will bring for her. I've always been the most worried about her going into this stage, not wanting her enthusiasm or shine to be dulled, and watching her big heart get so utterly broken as it's more exposed to the world; and as cracks grow in her cluelessness and she's more affected as she realizes new things about the world and her effect on it and its affect on her. Her sensitivity has always been there, but was rare to have a nerve touched or a feeling hurt, but when it happened it shook her whole world -- but lately it's happening more often (sometimes daily) and seeing this side of her more present and at play is heartbreaking and fascinating. My little girl is growing up. I hope she never loses any of all the things that make her so perfectly Ellie, while learning to interact with the world around her in new and more mature ways, and becomes increasingly aware and empathetic to those around her. She leads with joy and kindness and acceptance of everyone around her -- and I am endlessly proud of the little person she is -- and I'm wrapping my head around the fact that she's not so little anymore. (Even if, 8 year old Isaac is proud to announce, he is now 1" taller than his 11 year old sister.)
, but then worries it won't feel enough like her birthday today. (I set one surprise aside so she has something to open today, because as tempting as not waiting another day was, she'd regret it if there was nothing for today). She is enthusiastic and excited about everything, but with all her big emotions so close to the surface, she's also my most likely lately to feel hurt or small -- and her being anything less than 100% confident and sure of herself has not been my favorite part of her pre-teen years. Ellie is, and always has been, one of the happiest, bubbliest, friendliest, enthusiastic, expressive, joyous humans I've ever known. She lives life so big and is so much fun; she's creative, bright, an engineer at heart, a problem solver, outgoing, social, kind, generous, energetic, loving, joyful, spontaneous, and pure and utter sunshine. She also is my most oblivious child She is often smack dab in the middle of any drama going on with siblings or friends, though likely has no idea how she ended up there, or sometimes that there even is drama. She has always been a beautiful little whirlwind that blows through life, not aware of the little wake of destruction she's left, because the child does not have a mean or deliberate bone in her body -- but when she was younger, if something was broken in our house, there was a 95% chance Ellie had broken it. And hadn't realized it. If there was a little brother crying, there was a 75% chance it was because of something Ellie had just said or did, but if she noticed there was now a sobbing sibling, she was utterly confused as to why they weren't smiling and would likely have no idea she was the cause of their distress. She has spent most of her journey through life with a big ol' smile on her face, and boundless enthusiasm and energy. Almost everyone who has ever described Ellie to me has used the word 'sunshine' at some point. And everyone comments on her giant smile. She is everyone in my family's favorite person to buy gifts for -- because you've never seen ANYONE so excited about opening anything and everything as this girl. Her joy and enthusiasm is contagious, and we're a happier, more playful, fun, lighthearted family for having her around. Whereas Annie has often been a mini-me, whose reactions and decisions make complete and total sense to me, Ellie is something completely different, and her spontaneity and zest for life have been a beautiful challenge for me to learn to understand and to be changed by. She has her Dad wrapped around her little finger -- which is true actually of a lot of people, because who doesn't love being loved enthusiastically and completely by a ball of sunshine? I love watching her and her big sister be each other's best friends. As I'm watching her grow into her pre-teen years, I'm curious what life will bring for her. I've always been the most worried about her going into this stage, not wanting her enthusiasm or shine to be dulled, and watching her big heart get so utterly broken as it's more exposed to the world; and as cracks grow in her cluelessness and she's more affected as she realizes new things about the world and her effect on it and its affect on her. Her sensitivity has always been there, but was rare to have a nerve touched or a feeling hurt, but when it happened it shook her whole world -- but lately it's happening more often (sometimes daily) and seeing this side of her more present and at play is heartbreaking and fascinating. My little girl is growing up. I hope she never loses any of all the things that make her so perfectly Ellie, while learning to interact with the world around her in new and more mature ways, and becomes increasingly aware and empathetic to those around her. She leads with joy and kindness and acceptance of everyone around her -- and I am endlessly proud of the little person she is -- and I'm wrapping my head around the fact that she's not so little anymore. (Even if, 8 year old Isaac is proud to announce, he is now 1" taller than his 11 year old sister.)
P.S. Of all my children, Ellie is definitely the one who has changed the most dramatically this last year — for the longest time, Ellie just looked like Ellie, and it was almost hard to distinguish between 4 year old and 9 year old Ellie in pictures. But the jump from 10 to 11 has been huge physically and emotionally, and I don’t think there’s been another single year in my motherhood journey when one of my kids has changed so much!
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