Celebrating Tyler

Tyler just turned 11.

Here she is opening her birthday presents

Her friend Jade got her this one (she loves the girly stuff)

And this little summer dress is adorable (if a little too tight to fit over a white shirt, which is what we, her parents, require)

This is what she wanted (well, her second choice after an i-pod touch)

And this is Rachel, furious because Tyler got cool presents

(this is the pic I was talking about, Chrislynn)

Tyler's birthday breakfast was waffles made by her dad

blowing out the candle

Tyler is growing up. She is becoming a mature young lady. A few weeks ago, she announced to me that she was going to let the kitten have her baby blankets. The kitten lives outside. By giving the blankets to the kitten, she is practically throwing them away, because I won't let them come back in the house now. The blankets are the shredded remnants of a baby blanket. The baby blanket actually belonged to Olivia, I think, but Tyler commandeered it after her own blankets became little more than rags. Well, this blanket had also seen better days, but it worked for the soothing that Tyler sought. She will be embarrassed when I say this, but when she was tired or stressed, she held those bits of blanket and sucked on her two middle fingers.

Not anymore. I did not impose this on her. I did not "accidentally" lose the blankets, in order to try to help her out of that habit (although I have considered it). She decided on her own she didn't need them anymore. And no, she does not sleep outside with the kitten now, either.

Maybe part of that is she now sleeps with the lovely new quilt my mother helped her make at the 4H Quilt Camp. Whatever the reason, she is happy and blanket and finger-sucking free. Yay for growing up and still being happy and beautiful!

I love my Tyler. She is my oldest daughter, probably the most like me. I know she is aware of me, as her mother. She wants to help me to be happy. She wants to be a good example for her sisters, though she doesn't always know how. I am always praying that I can know how to be the mother she needs. She is amazing to me. I hope she knows I love and adore her. She is beautiful, inside and out.

Tyler loved her birthday. She got presents, a parade and fireworks all on her day. It was wonderful!