my baby is a teenager

Let that soak in.

Wow.

 Dannell had a tooth pulled a couple weeks ago and had a dentist appointment on this side of town, so she joined us for lunch.

 They came back here for a little while afterward.

Here's two topless cousins eating popsicles on the patio:

 Late in the evening we sang and had birthday candles:

This girl slept over and went along to music lessons and gymnastics tonight, spent time with my parents--my parents live near the music lessons and gymnastics.

Julia said, "Is it weird to be best friends with my niece?"

Maybe.

I don't know.

Love is love, and we find our friends where we do.

My parents have been incredible friends to me.

Who defines any of this?

Not tonight.  A little auntie and her niece can be BFF.

Here's a picture of Julia, 10 minutes old:

 A couple weeks later:

 Aww, a couple days old. All of us on our seasick raft

 This is one of my very favorite pictures, Julia and Tim napping together:

The morning you were born, Jule:

You and little Jay on a  December morning, 2004:

 Oh my goodness, my baby girl:

 You and John:

 You and Dan:

 You and Kari:

My baby girl, sweet ray of sunshine?

Thank you.

Thank you for coming to this family and being our girl.

All your energy and ideas, all the cartwheels and handstands all over the house, your outrageously loud laugh?

We love you, our maraschino cherry on top of a big, fat family of sundae.

Happy Birthday, Honey.

Love forever and always, Mom and Dad and Everybody