Happy 9th Birthday, Little Miss!

My girl, my bright shining star, my Little Miss went and turned another year old.

She’s NINE!

Oh, I can hardly believe it.  Happy Birthday, my darling girl.  You, the one who first made me a Mama.

From the moment you were born, your Daddy and I knew we were holding someone special.  You, my Fairy Bright, are made of pure sparkle and sunshine.  With a song ever on your lips, and imagination brewing in that brilliant noggen of yours, you fill our lives with JOY and SURPRISE and WONDER.

These days there’s nothing you like better than to (confiscate some befuddled parents’ iphone and…) blast your favorite tunes so that you can throw an impromptu dance party with any friend, foe (little brothers!), or puppy dog in your sparkle-radius.  And so I thought I would commemorate your NINTH year with some of your favorite songs.  Songs that, just like you, make us want to sing and dance and CELEBRATE this glorious life that God has blessed us with.

And so dance on, Little Miss.  Dance on, like the Jesus-loving, sparkle-sprinkling Little Rockstar that you were born to be.

 

Ode to my Little Miss on your 9th birthday

 

A Sunbeam, Shining Light and Joy Wherever She Goes

You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine
Just own the night like the [ninth!] of July
Cause baby you’re a firework!
(Firework by Katy Perry)

A Mighty Heart who will Love and Change the World

This is my fight song, take back my life song
Prove I’m alright song
My power’s turned on, starting right now I’ll be strong
I’ll play my fight song
(Fight Song by Rachel Platten)

The Pied Piper of FUN with Friends and Family

The phone rings in the middle of the night
My father yells, “What you gonna do with your life?”
Oh daddy dear, you know you’re still number one
But girls, they wanna have fun
Oh girls just want to have fun!
(Girls Just Want to Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper)

Life of The Party, with an EYE for Fashion!

I’ve got a fever coming on, and now it’s beating on my bones
I feel like diamonds or some gold, so DJ play it that’s my song
(Hair Up! by Justin Timberlake and Gwen Stefani)

A Mover and a Shaker!

Come on let’s twist again like you did last summer
Yeah, let’s twist again like you did last year
Do you remember when things were really hummin’
Yeah let’s twist again, twist the time is here
(Let’s Twist Again by Chubby Checker)

A Curious Mind and a Growing Faith

Precious Jesus, I am ready to surrender every care
Take my hand now, lead me closer, Lord I need to meet you there
Come and join us, in the river, come find life beyond compare
He is calling, He is waiting, Jesus longs to meet you there
(To The River by Brian Doerksen)

Magician (and Pianist!) Owning the Stage

If you believe in magic, come along with me
We’ll dance until morning till there’s just you and me
And maybe, if the music is right
I’ll meet you tomorrow, sort of late at night
And we’ll go dancing, baby, then you’ll see
How the magic’s in the music and the music’s in me
(Do You Believe In Magic, The Lovin’ Spoonful)

Lightning Speed Flashing Across the Field
(and Court and Pool…)

I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire
‘Cause I am a champion, and you’re gonna hear me roar
Louder, louder than a lion
‘Cause I am a champion, and you’re gonna hear me roar!
(ROAR by Katy Perry)

Punchline of Your Favorite Joke

Because I’m happy/Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof
Because I’m happy/Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth
Because I’m happy/Clap along if you know what happiness is to you
Because I’m happy!
(Happy by Pharrell Williams)

Feeler of all the FEELS, like a Billowing Ocean Wave

When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I’m feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don’t feel so bad!
(My Favorite Things by Julie Andrews)

Conqueror of Mountains (Climber of Trees!)

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, stand a little taller
Doesn’t mean I’m lonely when I’m alone
What doesn’t kill you makes a fighter, footsteps even lighter
Doesn’t mean I’m over ’cause you’re gone
(What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, Kelly Clarkson)

A Dreamer with Great Hope and Plans for the Future

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see…
The Lord has promised good to me, His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be, as long as life endures.
(Amazing Grace, John Newton)

Beloved Little Miss – Our Bright Shining Star!

Sweet [Annabelle]
Good times never seemed so good
I’d be inclined
To believe they never would
(Sweet Caroline, Neil Diamond)

Happy birthday, Little Miss.  Long may you sing.  Long may you dance.  Long may you SHINE.

WE LOVE YOU!!!

9 Year Old Stats:

– Weight: 65 lb 3.2 oz (52nd percentile)
– Height: 4′ 8.38″ (94th percentile)

 

 

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Little Missy’s 8th Birthday Party

Riddle me this…

What do you get when you combine one 8-year-old birthday girl, oodles of fun plans for a mermaid pool party, and a torrential (days-long) rain storm?

A Mommy running around like a chicken with her head cut off, that’s what.

Otherwise known as…

PLAN B.

Since we couldn’t splash in the (chlorinated) waves as planned, our Little Mermaid (and pals) had a blast decorating t-shirts (puffy painting like it was 1985!), making bracelets and other crafts, dancing around like Mermaid-Rockstars, taking out their agua-aggression on an over-stuffed pinata, eating lunch and (massive) ice cream sundaes, and playing together like all Fabulous Lady-Land-Lubbers do.

The Little Miss has the sweetest group of Mermaid-Friends, and they celebrated her so well.  Giggles and sparkle were a-plenty!

Grammie-Mermaid was there too!  And such a huge help!

SPOILER ALERT: Those observant scrollers may notice very soon that several of our activities were actually OUTDOORS.

Yep.  That’s right.  Because Mother Nature decided to wait just long enough for me to change all of our plans, and then she brought out the sun.

Touche, Mother Nature.

It’s all good.

We went wild.  We had fun.

And our girl felt very loved.

It was Mermad-err-iffic!

 

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First Day of School ~ 2017

Happy 1st Day of School!

(Pupils of the Dayspring Academy – and their morning moods – included)

Numero Uno:

Numero Dos:

(This next photo is what I’d call “post-mood-management,” with an assist from the Lil Miss.)

(Despite the face, the Lil Mister was actually quite excited for his homeschool debut!)

And yes, you may be wondering, we do have a

Numero Tres.

But this Little One prefers to remain anonymous…

for now….

Until his preschool debut takes place in September!

Get excited!

We’re all excited!

And after the celebratory ice cream sundaes, loaded with toppings,

all a bit LOCO too!

Watch out Durham!  Here we come!!!

 

 

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