Happy (LATE) birthday, Irene

Irene, it is a sign of the times in our household that your birthday is acknowledged (publicly) a full two months late.   

Since my three youngest children remind me often that they are deeply scarred by the fact that I did not have time to make them baby books like I did for Michael and Rachel,  I will appease the masses by recounting some current facts and thoughts about Irene.  

Irene, Irene, Irene.  Without getting too mushy, Irene is just such an amazing little young lady.  She has a head on her shoulders that is so filled with common sense and wisdom that I often do a double-take when she spouts some bit of wisdom or good sense.  I have to snatch my head around, and then wonder...why is she the child and I am the mom? She could do so much better a job at the multitasking life I lead than I do! I could look at it as sad that the mom has to look to the daughter for confirmation that we are, indeed, on a sensible path at any given circumstance. Instead, I choose to see it as a gift that God gave her to this flighty, attention-deficit-disordered mom!  And, in all seriousness now, she is truly such a gift to me. I remember my mom telling me that it was exciting to her, as her kids became adults, to see what kinds of friendships she would have with them as they transitioned from being her "kids" into her friends.  (It makes me nearly cry even now to think that my mom would call me her friend...oh, how I love that woman!) I now can understand that, not just because two of my kids have become adults already but also because I can see glimpses in the younger ones of who they will become and the ways that God has made them, and I get excited thinking about what great friends they will be.  This is very true for Irene. When I think of the friend she will be when we are done with the parenting phase, I get excited.  Although she has her "issues" (she is quite stubborn, a little bit on the "black & white" side, sometimes a little bit on her high horse)  she is sweet, sweet, sweet.  She is witty, if not a bit caustically sarcastic.  She is always ready to help, eager to please, generous, and she loves unreservedly.   Oh, and important details I forgot to mention, she just (well, two months ago) turned 9!

Things she is into right now:  
~Laura Ingalls Wilder books,  movies, etc
~still loves her American Girl doll
~Abbie is definitely her best buddy
~she begs to have her own position as a helper in the church nursery or kids church class
~ loves baking and riding her bike
~wants to be an artist / art teacher when she grows up
~"favorites" are the color green, pizza, riding horses, "Love Comes Softly", "Cake boss", favorite place to go is Nana's house & camping
~loves to play the violin
~loves the show "Little Men"
~ says her future husband's name will probably be bob Dilly Dillybob. Mmmmmkay.

Irene, my little punkin'...I can't believe how fast the last nine years how flown past!  It shocks me to think that in just nine more years, you will be a grown woman.  I pray with all my heart that the Lord will bless our next nine years together, and I will put my whole heart into creating memories with you and our family that will last your whole life through. I LOVE YOU! 

Here you are, brand new, with big brother Matthew:

And with me (yes, I am digging that postpartum headband...)

And just some more, for good measure:

And just a little bigger:

(Here are a couple of pictures from the same time period that I am adding in here because I thought they were so funny!!!  This is what Daddy & Papa,  as well as Rachel, looked like when you were a baby!)

And here you are now, my sweet and spunky girl!