On July 19, Avelyn turned 11. We had a house full of her friends over for a Girls’ Night In so all the little ladies wore their jammies, we had an ice cream sundae bar, watched the original Parent Trap movie, did mud masks and then they ran around like wild animals for a half hour. I call it a win.

I know we are entering the sunset years of her childhood; soon there will be teen-aged angst and fights about how we aren’t going to let her have a cell phone until she’s 27. But for now, there is a lightness, a joy, and I am just so thankful for the lovely girl she has blossomed into.

(Look how cranky and snarly she used to be!)

Happy Birthday, Avelyn Paige!