1/2 of 18=9

9 years old

8 years old
7 years old

Bayley loves the water (6 years old)


5 years old

4 years old

2 years old

1 year old

I can't believe that Bayley turned 9 yesterday. She already acts a lot older than her age, but as someone kindly (or unkindly) pointed out the other day, with her turning 9 it means she has reached the 1/2 way point to what some consider adulthood. She is at the age where she wants to be older than she really is and Jeff and I keep telling her to enjoy her childhood and all of the great things about being a kid....hard to do when you spend the majority of your time focused on all the things you can't do because you are a kid. (I remember being that way too)

We celebrated Bayley's birthday this year by having a party for her friends on Friday night. Bayley loves to cook, so we decided to have a cooking party. She planned the menu of Lasagna, french bread, fruit kabobs, Oreo truffles and cupcakes. Each of the girls at the party made their own individual lasagnas, rolled out their own individual loaves of french bread, put together their own kabobs, rolled truffles and decorated their own large cupcakes. It was a busy evening, but I think all left very full and had a good time. We also played a couple of games including, chocoholic, taste testers, memory, and pop the balloon. It was an exhausting evening, but fortunately everything turned out.

Yesterday, for Bayley's actual birthday, we had a pretty relaxing day. She wanted Krispy Kreme donuts for breakfast so we headed over to the local Krispy Kreme to watch donuts be made and indulge in my husband and kiddo's favorite breakfast treat. Grandma and Grandpa "G" made the trip from Georgia to spend the day with Bayley and us. We played an exciting game of Monopoly (the full version...only because it was Bayley's birthday), opened presents, and then went to Chick-fil-a for dinner. It was nice not having anything we had to do yesterday other than celebrate Bayley's birthday.Bayley blowing out the candles on the decorated cupcakes

The girls eating dinner

Decorating cupcakes




Here are a few things about Bayley at 9 years old:

• Bayley is in the 99th percentile for height and 50th percentile for weight...she most likely will be a pretty tall girl. She continues to have beautiful blond hair that she insists that we keep long.


• Bayley just started the 4th grade and has loved the first few days of school. She really is a very responsible student and I love that she truly enjoys learning. She loves to read and never leaves home without a book or two in hand, just in case there will be some extra time to read.


• Bayley is very creative and uses her dancing, crafts, and designing as creative outlets. She is taking jazz and tap again this year and is excited about her new teachers. She also will start back with piano in September and will hopefully learn some more church hymns. She also loves to design clothing and got a very cool new design kit for her birthday.


• Bayley loves jewelry and earrings. She loves to accessorize and got some great new clothes for her birthday that she has already picked out "just the earrings" to go with them.
  
• Bayley is a good big sister. Her sisters and brother sure do look up to her and she does a pretty good job of including them in her play. Like all of us she needs some alone time, and so she loves having her own little hideaway in her bedroom.

We love Bayley and we are so glad that she is a part of our family!