Eight is Great

I can't believe it's really been 8 years since I heard those three little words..."It's a Girl!!!" What's even more amazing, is how much that little baby girl has grown up and what a beautiful, fun, smart, creative and loving big girl she's become! I am constantly amazed at the fun, creative games, stories and ideas she has. She is so sweet to her baby brother and loves to help me with things like buckling him in and out of the car. She is incredible when it comes to making that boy happy. She can stop a tantrum in an instant! I love watching her play with Big Butter. Those two still have their moments (as most siblings do!) but they have really become pals and have a lot of fun together (even though she won't admit it!). I have had so much fun having her home this summer and will truly miss her when school starts again in less than two weeks!
Here's how we celebrated her big day...

It's a tradition, that we go to the zoo for Birthdays (and lots of other days too!). Two weeks later, we celebrated some more...we went to dinner for Grandma's Birthday (very yummy Magianno*s) and spent a rare cool summer evening watching The*Music*Man at the Muny* with Grandma and Grandpa!

We brought some bread from the restaurant and fed the fish. Last year they went crazy...there were a gazillion little guys in there literally jumping out for each crumb we threw in. This year there weren't nearly as many, but still a fun way to wait for the show to start!

A couple of days later we had her big par-tay! A swim party at our neighborhood pool - tons of fun and incredibly easy for Mom!!!

Everyone had a great time swimming, while I got to actually hang out and relax with the moms - almost unheard of at a birthday party!

We wrapped up the 3 week celebration with the biggest event of all...her Baptism. I can't believe how grown up this little girl is now. I'm so proud of her decision to be baptized and of all the good decisions she continues to make each day. I love how she has become so involved in primary now (we had kind of a rough start). She loves Family Night and has already read her kid's version of the Book *f Mormon twice...all on her own! We had a wonderful program and Lulu was so excited that her whole family was there for her important day. I was so happy that my Dad got to baptize her. I'm so lucky to have my wonderful parents so close, and that they can be so involved in my children's lives.

So just how is that 8 years have passed so quickly? Makes me a little nervous for how fast the next 8 will fly! Yeah, really don't want to think about that! They grow up so fast...I just want to have as much fun with her while I can...seems like just yesterday we were playing "I be this and you be this" with her little Trunkie, Neigh-y, Pokey, and the other innumerable animal friends she had (ha - still has!). Yep, sure goes by fast! Happy Extended Birthday, Lulu!