Eight is Great!

Eight years ago today we welcomed our sweet Ava Jane. This year her birthday has been met with extraordinary anticipation on the part of the birthday girl. She simply couldn't wait to be eight. And she reminded us.... a lot... that today was her birthday.

"Amelia, do you have anything you'd like to say to me this morning?"

"Dad, I think I'd like to have crepes for my birthday breakfast. With Nutella please."

For her birthday gift John selected a child sized set of golf clubs and Ava was thrilled. They've been practicing in the backyard all Spring and she just can't wait to golf with her dad, her Papa Ray, Bill and Annie....

To celebrate her birthday Ava wanted to have a pool party at her Papa and Grandma's. We limited the guest list to just a handful of friends. And while May 28th is always a wonderful day, the weather didn't cooperate. It spat ran much of the day. Temperatures struggled to reach 70. But Ava was undeterred. We offered to move the party back a day, but she was having none of it.

The pool was heated to about 85 degrees but the air temperature was only just barely 70. Never you mind - Ava and her friends hit the pool for nearly two hours while the adults shivered on the deck watching them. At least the rain had passed.

The most ecstatic birthday girl....

Ava has such a good center. While I was worried about the weather she knew she would be able to swim. ("Mom, Papa is heating the pool.") She requested lime cupcakes because her friend Ava T. loves limes. (I couldn't find lime cupcakes that looked good, so I made these, Margarita cupcakes and omitted the tequila. They were fantastic!) Ava seemed to soak in all the love and attention surrounding her birthday without getting worried or wound up. I was so proud of her.

Here, opening gifts, while Annie and Grandma Marilyn look on....

Eight years has gone by so quickly - I couldn't be more grateful for the opportunity to know a kid as awesome as Ava. I am so lucky to be her mom.