Happy Birthday Emma

Yesterday, Emma turned 11 years old.  Hmmm....isn't there some rule that says your youngest child shall stay young forever and never ever grow up?  I wish there was a rule like that because I am feeling like Emma is getting dangerously close to leaving her childhood years behind.  Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to imply that having a teenager is somehow more stressful (OK, I sort of am implying that) but there is something so fun about the carefree innocent ways of a younger child.  So for now I will try my best to document what happened so that I can read it years from now and remember what it was like to have a happy, smiley, drama free Emma (not that teenagers aren't all of those things...)

I feel like I need a new way to describe our birthday celebrations around here, but considering we are so obsessed with traditions and do the same thing every year I suppose I am predisposed to a pretty boring description.  It was funny to think about how crazy we have become with  our "it's tradition" stuff...I asked Emma what she would like for her birthday breakfast this year and she started describing the elaborate pannini that she wanted me to create.  I was laying with her in her bed feeling particularly tired and lazy so I jokingly suggested that we just get burritos from the local gas station for breakfast. (long story, but the Santa Fe Grill burritos are the BEST) anyway, she jumped on my idea and said that would be awesome but can it be a tradition?  I laughed and said why does everything always have to be a tradition....to which Emma replied "because Mom, then you really know it's your birthday" So there you have it, tradition it is! (sleeping in a little extra because I don't have to prepare breakfast is a lovely tradition if I do say so myself)

After breakfast it was gift opening time.  As usual Emma received many orange things to go along with her orange obsession (we have a few OCD habits in this family) after breakfast we hurried through our homeschooling so that we could enjoy some of the day together.  Having me paint her nails with her new orange nail polish was on the top of her list.  Matt came home and took Emma to lunch which was a highlight for Em.  The menu for dinner was decided on as prosciutto and green onion pizza, Caesar salad and snickers cheesecake. After dinner we watched a movie.  Pretty standard fare for a Kenney birthday.  As I was tucking Emma in, she decided that she wanted to have her birthday last another day....I told her she could if she wanted to...hey, we homeschool and nobody really knows what goes on around here so we can pretty much do whatever we want, right? So today we will be quietly celebrating Emma's birthday for a 2nd day with leftover cheesecake.....of course, I will be quietly celebrating Emma's birth-day everyday in my own mind.  I always say that I just knew that I needed to have Emma.....something was just missing in our family before she was here...convincing Matt to have another baby while we were in the midst of raising a 2 and a 4 year old took some doing but thank goodness he is a softie because I was determined to listen to my heart and had a pretty strong feeling...... when Emma was born the first thing out of my mouth was to tell her that I had been waiting for her all along.  I didn't realize then just how much I needed her in our family.  Her infectious laughter and smiley personality make my whole world a better place.  Thanks Em and happy birthday, again.

good morning birthday girl

of course there would be an orange yoga mat

emma is a hugger

gift certificate for borrowing clothes....really?

when did I get so short?

lunch date with Dad