EIGHT!

Somehow, some way eight years have passed. I say it every year, but it really is true... time absolutely flies. The days are long but the years are so, so very short. 

Eight. It seems so much older than seven. Almost to double digits and halfway to being able to get her license. I don't know that I'll ever be able to reconcile where it is that time goes, but off its gone and its turned her into a full fledged big kid. No more baby-ness left in those cheeks, and its getting harder to carry her on my hip for long hauls (and she's requesting being held far less than I ever thought she would), she wriggles out of hugs, and dodges cuddles most mornings. But with those lost baby things we are gaining such amazing big kid things. She is whip smart, witty, smarter than I ever thought about being at that age, self assured, more self aware than half the adults I know, empathetic, wild, wonderful, and the most amazing human I know. She has seen so much of the world and hungers for more... she loves to learn and requests to know about the most off the wall things. She is enigmatic and special and I can't wait to see what this year brings her way. 

Bright and early with the big eight year old!!!

Breakfast waffles and liver mush. She broke our birthday pancake tradition with her waffle request! 

Duke took her out to run some errands and give me time to get the house decorated. I don't know why she looks so grown up here but she does!

She came home to the cave of wonders! She originally wanted a Minecraft birthday party, but after seeing the new Aladdin movie, she changed her wishes to Aladdin! 

She got all decked out in her Jasmine finery 

I'm pretty proud of how her cake turned out! All the direction she gave me was a blue cake. I think it turned out pretty awesome! And I'm loving my genie!

Grandpa and Stella in the cave of wonders

With Mimi

The weather turned and a storm started to blow in so we ran outside before it rained to snap her obligatory birthday pictures! As luck would have it, Dad's prized Persian rug made the perfect magic carpet!

It didn't fly on its own, but our real life genie made it look like it was flying behind her...haha!

This girl... she is stunning. Everything about her stuns me. In the best of ways. 

So... this is eight. 

With her sweet cousins

The two Jasmines

Getting loves from Ryan

With her Cici

With Matt Matt

With all the kiddos! Everyone was decked out in their Aladdin wear!

Daddy sent her flowers!

We FaceTime'd Daddy in and he got to sing with us and watch her blow her candles out!

Making her wish!

With the birthday girl

Wonder how much longer she'll fit on my lap...

Noni

Noni and Duke

After dinner at Blue Moon.. I think, all total, she had 4 wardrobe changes that day....lol

Current stats and fun facts:

• EIGHT years old!
• 50 pounds
• 47 inches tall
• size 1 shoe (finally in the big kid sizes!)
• favorite foods: French fries, cheeseburgers, salmon nigiri, tacos, plain lays potato chips, cake, candy
• favorite drinks: Coca Cola (she does not get this often!), juice, root beer floats
• favorite place she's visited so far: Paris and Sri Lanka
• favorite school subject: history
• favorite book: Dont Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Harry Potter
• favorite movie: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
• favorite things to do: play games, ride horses, travel, do art 
• Currently wants to be a juice maker when she grows up and sell juice to people in the parks in London