Thirteen

I have someone very special in this house who just turned 13.  Thirteen!!  That makes four teens under this roof.  I've mentioned before how much I love teens.  This youngest teenager has been on the brink of being a teen for a good long while now, and I'm glad it's official!  

You can't be this stylish, this much fun, this capable and helpful without being a teen! 

Galadriel was a very moody little baby who gave me, perhaps, the most trouble of any infant.  I had my first taste of mastitis with her, and by 9 months I was moving her into her own room to sleep (usually we're happy to keep the babies close until after a year)--no one was happy!  Then she became, perhaps, my strongest willed 2-year-old (hitting her head on the floor when she didn't get her way).   I'm pretty sure her older sister earned some major heaven points in trying to put up with the most difficult 3 and 4 year old, whose idea of getting attention was to kick and annoy until she got that attention.

When she turned about 5, Galadriel entered a whole new sphere of life.  She discovered "Pinkalicious", princesses, and all things pink, sparkly and feminine.  Six brought gymnastics!  Galadriel was a whirling cartwheeling leotard wearing gymnast for the next couple of years.  Then sadly, tonsil and adenoid surgery made it hurt for her to hurdle top speed and flip upside down.  All was well because ballet filled the gap.

Galadriel grew, and became a baker, and a basketball player.

With a big, kind, warm heart.  She still can get a little bossy in the girls' room...but mostly just in order to make those other girls clean up!

Galadriel struggled to read, but overcame!  And now has the very best taste in literature of all of my children (I hope they're all reading this!): she's a Jane Austen fan!  After years and years of Tolkien addiction around this house, I have finally found my dream come true!  Nothing sounds better to us than planning our next Jane Austen movie night!  (I should add the caveat that I also love Tolkien, but not the movies.  And, well, Jane Austen is a special all of her own).

 So helpful with her siblings, such a diligent home schooler.  So very helpful around the house.  She's the one the other kids sort of roll their eyes at as her parents praise her, once again, for being the one to (fill-in-the-blank chore without being told).  But luckily they can't help but love her because she really is lots of fun!

Thirteen is full of promise.  Thirteen is the brink of all sorts of exciting adventures.  Thirteen is sweet and a little sassy.  Thirteen might have some tears, but even more smiles.

Happy Birthday Galadriel,  We love you!!