1.23.2011

Double Digits

{Elayna, two years old}

Today, my baby girl, my youngest child, moves into the 'double digits'.

She is 10 years old.

And I just can't believe it.

From the beginning, I knew she would be my last child, and I tried to keep her a baby as long as I could.
But she had other ideas. Since she has a sister who is five years older, and a brother nearly eight years older (and later acquiring a brother a year and a half older), she was always racing to catch up.
She knows that she is MY baby, and she loves that. But somehow, she has managed to turn ten years old, right before my eyes. I turned my back for just a second! And now she is in double digits. Sigh.

It goes without saying that I love all of my kids, and I love them equally, but differently. I have a unique relationship with all of them, and a different bond, and different feelings for each of them. They are not less, just different.

Elayna is the most like me out of all my children. We have similar taste in music, clothes, and hobbies. She is the only one of my kids who LOVES to read, like I do. But I think the biggest thing is, we are both babies of our families. In fact, I too have an older brother and sister, who are 7 & 10 years older than me. Elayna also now has step-siblings and a half-sister, but in our home, she is still the baby. I totally identify with her, and I can't help but see her side in arguments with her older siblings. It's not a conscious thing, it just comes naturally to me. I try to be fair, but I am looking at things from a "youngest child" point of view. The older kids say I spoil her and baby her. Um, guilty! I try not to, but I know that to some degree I always will.
She's a very good girl though, truly. All of my kids are great kids, and she is no exception.
She loves school, and does very well in school. She's very mature and responsible. Her teachers adore her.
But she is a little stubborn. Like her Mama.
And a little smart-mouthed. Like her Mama.
And a little overly emotional. Like her Mama.
How can I not spoil her? I get her. She gets me. We are peas in a pod.



{Elayna, 8 yrs old, and Me}

She loves animals as much as her Mama, and wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up. Or a teacher. I'm pushing for veterinarian; Mama needs free vet care!

She loves babies like her Mama. She always makes random babies smile when we see them at stores.
Babies and animals love her too. What's not to love? She's just like her Mama! ;-)

We're having her birthday dinner tonight (one of her requests was asparagus!).
We're having her big birthday party next weekend. We've been planning it forever; it's a Tea Party. Girls only, the boys are being kicked out. I will post all about it!

I'm happy. I love to watch her grow up and turn into this awesome little person.
But I'm still a bit sad, that she's not my little baby any more!


19 comments:

Ninja Mum said...

Your daughter is sooo cute! Tea party is great. Happy Birthday to her and I hope she'll always be a good girl.
Nurse License Protection

myevil3yearold said...

Hapy Birthday to her. Wish they could stay little forever

Amy said...

Hope your baby has a very happy birthday.

She's adorable!

Anonymous said...

This was a beautiful tribute to your daughter. I have three kids too (all boys) and I turned around about twice and now they are 32, 29 and 25! But they will always be my babies, and now they have started having their OWN babies. Trust me - the next time you turn around, you'll have grandchildren And you will love them EVEN MORE!

Unknown said...

She is wonderful. Ten feels so different doesn't it? Like EXTREMELY grown up. I hope she has a wonderful year and lots of great things come her way. Treasure your baby!

Brandy@YDK said...

Happy birthday to your baby. A tea party sounds awesome.

Keeper of the Skies Wife said...

Happy Birthday, pretty girl!

Unknown said...

Happy, happy Birthday Elayna!

It's amazing how much older she looks at ten than she did at 8. Hope you both have a great day!

Unknown said...

Awww, she'll always be your baby. :) Happy birthday to Elayna!

Whitney said...

Happy Birthday to Elayna! (I'm a baby too, but it has never bothered me to be "babied". And my older sister (15 months older) and brother (5 years older) always made sure to tell my mother when she was babying me. LOL)

Anonymous said...

happy birthday elayna!!!and a tea party sounds so fun, i cant wait to read about it.

anymommy said...

I loved this post. Happy birthday to your beautiful baby. That picture of you two together is awesome.

said...

Precious. :)

My firstborn (who is rotten through and through, seriously...like her Mama) just turned 8. And I get her too. In our case, we're just both really stubborn and hot-headed. So it's not the coolest that we are the same.

Jenners said...

Awww...what a cute cute photo of you two! (And the one when she is two!)

I love how you say your love your kids "the same but differently." It sounds like your daughter reminds you a lot of you ... which can be a good thing and a weird thing I can imagine!

It is crazy how fast the years go by!

Seizing My Day said...

such a wonderful post about your sweet baby girl!! I love all those things like her momma... (y'all sound like me) he he... anyway... I was the baby too... only with siblings much closer in age.... but still the baby... I get what you mean... we do need a little babying sometimes... the younger kids need more grace b/c they are always trying to keep up... wishing to be like the older ones... yet their logic is not at the same level... anyway...

Happy birthday to your girl!! Love the sweet pic of you two... ;)

Myya said...

Happy Birthday to your sweet baby girl. I love all the things you wrote. Oh how she will LOVE them when she gets older.
Oh & I can totally relate to treating her the way you do. I am the middle of sisters and I tend to defend my middle one a little more because I know how sucky it can be to be the middle of 3 girls. Heaven help her LOL.

shortmama said...

Hope she had a great birthday!

Anonymous said...

Aww! Hope she had a great 1-0! I was driving to work today thinking OH MY GOD my baby is going to be 11 in 3 months. How is that even possible? What's worse is his sister will be 13 in a few months and I really have no clue how that happened, but I was really freaking about his turning 11. Ugh. It goes much too quickly!

Debby@Just Breathe said...

A very happy birthday to Elayna!
Hope she has a wonderful party.