Emily Turns NINE!

{Emily's big toothy smile just before her 2nd birthday.

She has the same big smile at NINE!}

Emily is quite possibly the most independent and opinionated soul I know and has been from infancy. She has to learn things for herself even if it is the hard way; she is overly confident which makes it hard to correct her; she likes to be in control, take charge and do things her way. Most days I struggle to be her mother. Especially when-

She says no to everything I ask her to do.
Her response to anything anyone says or does is a glare and a very sassy, "Oh my GOSH."
She believes that most people are stupid, liars, idiots or all three.
And it is absolutely exasperating how well she can formulate an opposing argument.

But when she can temper her anger, frustration and annoyance- I see the most amazing girl!

Emily learns quickly.
She is a leader.
She is an organizer.
She is creative and funny.
Her emotions are intense and her personality is BIG!

As crazy as she makes me- I love this girl!!

For her birthday, Emily asked her dad to make abelskeivers (a Danish pancake ball) for breakfast. He made the best batch yet and served them up on our special plate- it started her day off with a big smile!

After a few chores by everyone but Emily who had the day off, we went swimming. Kelly was able to leave work early to join us which always makes it more fun for me. Emily was all smiles until I said it was time to leave. She left the pool pretty grumpy, but we met her at home after she and her dad made a quick stop to pick up cupcakes and that seemed to cheer her right up.

I suppose we could have stayed at the pool longer, but I really wanted to go to "Art in the Park" at Thanksgiving Point Gardens. Emily was a good sport and we took our McDonald's dinner (her choice) to the gardens where we did bubble painting, marble painting and watched a performance of Romeo and Juliet in the waterfall amphitheater. I love just sitting in the gardens and watching my kids run and laugh.

After the gardens closed, we went home for cupcakes and present. Yes- I mean present. Emily got one big present this year and although the box she opened was not the actual thing, it gave her the right idea and you can tell she was shocked! Her new orange i-pod didn't make it in time so she had to open an empty box with a note saying it was coming soon, but the idea of her own i-pod was enough to make her turn cartwheels and scream for joy all night long! (The real kicker was not that it didn't make it in time for her birthday but that the i-pod arrived on Saturday of a holiday weekend only to be locked in a mailbox without a working key and she had to wait until WEDNESDAY to get it when she knew it was sitting in a mailbox 50 yards from our house!!)

It was a great day. A great day celebrating a great girl.
Happy Birthday Emily!!