Bird

She's me when I was eleven. She loves horses and cats and all stray animals. She's a second mother to George and any child put in her charge. She loves homework and helping her teacher. She sings with the radio and talks to her friends on the phone for hours. Deep down inside somewhere my sister and I must be somewhat alike for her to have produced a child so remarkably like me.

Little Bird

In early December, Bird celebrated her eleventh birthday. It was at her birthday party at a local indoor pool that I realized our first major difference - she is completely uninhibited. Standing in the locker room completely naked, she's talking with her friends, telling me about something that happened at school and was in no rush whatsoever to actually get her suit on. I was ready to crawl into a bathroom stall out of embarrassment for her, but she wasn't phased at all.

Queen of the High Dive

Her birthday party was so much fun. It was still fun and not yet embarrassing to have her dad and her uncle cannonballing off the diving boards to see who could make the bigger splash. Everyone had fun, friends, cousins, the young ones and even the boys all had fun

"Is it time for cake yet?"

Littlest Cousins

George the Sea Dragon

LM Ready to Swim

We enjoyed a Hannah Montana birthday cake and Bird opened more Littlest Pet gifts than I knew existed. George kept us entertained with his antics as well and LM endured sitting in the close proximity with several fifth grade girls without complaint.

Bird admires the purple fuzzy scarf we gave her
(along with an American Girl doll skirt and a new wallet for all her birthday cash!)

Happy Birthday, Bird!
Thanks for letting us share this day and every day with you!