She's totally 12

Haley is young for her age ... and I only mean that she's the last of her school friends to turn 12.  She actually seems far older than her young age suggests.  I can't believe she's only just now 12.  It's been an incredibly long wait for her, because going to Young Women's is something she's been dying to do for many months now.  And now she's official.

Her actual birthday was fun because it was Field Day at school.  If you have to go to school on your birthday, field day is the best day to celebrate.  We gave her 12 gifts in the morning, I took pizza to her whole class for lunch and then we celebrated some more as a family that evening.

I hatched a plan a little while back to give her a surprise party this year, so I lied and lied and lied some more to her to throw her off my trail.  I'll have to repent for that ... but it was worth it to see how happy she was when she saw all of her friends at Orange Leaf (her favorite frozen yogurt place), just ready for all-you-can-eat treats and a private viewing of her favorite movie (Hunger Games, of course) in the party room.  It was perfection. :)

Gotta have mustache stickers....

These cute girls made her day.  And mine. 

My Haley ... I love so much about her.  * I love sitting by her in church and singing hard harmonies during hymns.  We switch off every other line (alto, soprano, alto) or even switch every other measure.  She has no problem keeping up.  * I love that she is a self-motivator.  I never have to wonder if her homework is done.  Ever.  And not just done, but done well.  * I love that her teachers not only tell me that she is a good student but that she's kind to the kid who struggles making friends in the class.  I love that.  * I don't love that her room is usually kind of a disaster, but I love that she teases me about caring too much about it.  * I love that her taste in music is very cool.  She's always introducing me to new singers and songs that she finds.  * I love that she has great taste in friends.  These girls are so good!  And they are great influences on each other, which makes me happy.  * I love that she loves sports and that she knows so much more than I do about any given sport.  She talks intelligently with Mike about certain teams, plays, players, strategies.  He loves it more than I do.

I just love her! "Happy birthday, my wee darlin." :)