My Baby Girl Turns 11

Where did the time go??!!! Billy and Baylee 2000
Baylee turns 5!

Whose that chub in the tub! 6 months old

Mommy and Bee 1999

Today, this bright brown eyed baby of mine turned 11. She started her day with Trynnity waking her up to put in "Kung Foo Panda". I had already started making her homemade cupcakes and had begun placing the decorations for her mix n match birthday party. A Sesame Street table cover went over our kitchen table almost bringing those stingy tears to my eyes... it took me back to when she was turning 2 and had asked for the "MoMo" theme (Elmo). Next I opened the package of Pooh Bear plates (yet another reminder- this was her first birthday theme). We placed the Camo Happy Birthday banner and Tinker Bell streamers across the kitchen. The girls had a carefree movie morning and than jumped in for a quick shower. Baylee put on her mix n match outfit even though we still needed to run a few errands. Her knee highs were hilarious! We headed out of the house and into the icky wind filled afternoon.

Baylee's First Birthday April 1999

Today! Baylee's 11th Birthday April 2009


Billy was of course working, so I had to get everyone/ and thing unpacked and ready for the our guest to arrive. We still had "stockings" to fill and icing to put on the cupcakes!!!! (Baylee and I purchased those fantastic crazy kneehighs at Target ***CLEARANCE***mismatched them and than filled them with goodies; they are too funny!)

Here they are!

Soon, the doorbell began to ring and piled in the hormones! All 11 of em + Devy and her friend. Thank goodness for Cortney and Maggie! Cortney was in charge of our "man" of the house and "Maggies" was whisking away one very excited Sugar Bear to her house for the evening. The Girls aka Hormonal Tweens

Now, please keep in mind that I have watched most of these girls grow up over the years. There have been a couple of new faces and we were even missing some that are normally with us, but after about 10 minutes I was wishing we had re-thought another slumber party. Some of our old friends and new friends were not mixing so well. I waited to see how they would handle things...that took all of 10 more minutes. Yikes! So being the very open and up front person I tend to be, I gathered all the girls into the kitchen and laid down the law. (I honestly wished that I had a camera on their faces, because they looked rather stunned...) Baylee adores each of these girls for who they are as individuals She has always chosen her friends simply because SHE likes them for them. Not because someone else likes or dislikes them- and she has never cared what people thought about that. I relayed this to this group and asked them to put aside any differences they may have toward one another, because they all had one thing in common- Baylee. And this was her party! I also reminded them that some of them had recent situations occur at their own gatherings, not so fun. Billy was also due home later and he has no patience for any kind of rudeness, so he would not hesitate to call someone's parents even in the wee hours if the "yuckiness" continued. They sat silent after my sermon and I told them we were going to have fun... so we went and played a friendly game of volleyball at the park.

Girls and Volleyball...gotta love it!

The wind was crazy, but we ALL played. Nicely. They later ran around the play ground equipment like little kids until the sun went down and we headed back to the house. By this time Billy had made it home as well as my dad had come down from Phoenix. They scoffed down 6 large pizzas while watching Twilight and were ready for the cupcakes and presents before the movie was over. I caught a couple of eyes rolling during the gift exchange, but over all the rest of the evening was rather pleasant! They all seemed to get along o.k. and as I finish typing this have managed to find spots for their "slumber"- most of them have already fallen asleep! Birthday parties were alot easier when they were smaller..but as I went through the photos and I watched my daughter's face tonight they are worth it. She had a blast, made some memories, and that is the best gift of all. The time really did slip through my fingers and tonight was just a reminder what a gift our children really are to us. It is not always going to be a "bowl of cherries", but we make the best of everything, cherish these moments and hope we have taught them to be the very best they can be. (mental note...we really should try a new avenue for next year's birthday celebration...) Happy Birthday Bee, we love you with all our hearts!!!!