14 years

Our Sweet Caroline

I just love this picture of Caroline, courtesy of my friend Michelle who has the camera I really need to get for myself (but until then, I guess I'll keep bugging her to take my kids' pictures :-).  She took some pics of Caroline for her poster when she ran for SBO of her Jr. High a few weeks ago (didn't make it - dang it) and we thought they captured her personality perfectly!

Caroline's birthday was actually on May 25th, and I promised this year I would not neglect her birthday post like last year - ugh (seriously, a birthday at the end of May is pretty much equivalent to a Christmas birthday).  Every year on her birthday we reminisce about the night she was born and how Chris had left the country just the day before and couldn't get a flight back home until she was ten days old.  It's a pretty funny story and the memory of her birth and how completely unprepared we were for an early delivery seems like yesterday.  Who knew that she was once our scrawny little five pounder!

I believe that one can't turn 14 and make it through the insanity of Jr. High School without having a kindred spirit best friend.  Caroline and her friend Sophie have been close friends since the 3rd grade, and I just had to share Sophie's birthday note she posted on Caroline's facebook page . . . it pretty much sums up my daughter right now:

Hey so today is your birthday, and you are turning 14!!! So here are 14 reasons why I love you soo much!!:)
1. You are soo funny
2. We have TONS of inside jokes;)
3. Your nice to everyone
4. Your an AMAZING tennis player!!
5. We have been best friends for so long:)
6. You love ranch dressing;) haha
7. You make me cry.... Cus we laugh soo hard
8. Robot Unicorns!!
9. French class:)
10. Your crazy dreams!
11. Your cute dresses from the tennis club;)
12. Reeces Pieces... ;)
13. Our pudding song
14. And last but definitely not least, when we flicked that ladle onto the freeway!!
So as you can see, your a pretty great friend;) Hope you had a great day!!!! :) Love you! ♥

We love you too Caroline!

Thank you for bringing that added peace, understanding, wisdom, sensitivity, and unconditional love into our home that is second nature of who you are.

  

May your future be as bright as your beautiful smile . . .

(Picture taken on our annual birthday outing:  

shopping and lunch - she picked Settebello this year - wise girl :-).