Beautiful Birthday Girl

As I write five young ladies aged 12 - 16 are playing a game in my family room. Said ladies are here to help my most awesome daughter, Rosie, celebrate her 12th birthday.

Here are the things that make a tween birthday party complete:
- cheese puffs
- ABBA
- peanut butter cups
- balloons, streamers...etc.
- lemon meringue pie (which sadly did not turn out well)
- LOTS of louds voices and giggling
- pizza
- I Love Lucy
- sleeping bags, pillows and various stuffed animals

And when I say loud, I mean surprisingly, ear splittingly loud. I am always amazed at how loud girls can be when they get together. ARG and his friends were NEVER this loud.

Hubby has taken MiniMe out for a few hours so she won't be annoyingly underfoot. As much as I wish my children lovingly got along all the time, Rosie made it clear that MiniMe was not to be present at most of her party.

So I am here, holding down the fort. Being present, but trying not to listen too hard or cramp their style. Pretty soon I have to punch the dough and start rolling out the pizza pies.

I like to remember the night Rosie was born. I tried to explain to her today that I had wanted to do a water birth. The tub was full of warm water and I was hoping the heat and bouyancy would help alleviate some of the pain and discomfort. But instead I ended up on our living room floor because I couldn't walk after the midwife checked me mid-labor. I walked miles all day to bring on and strengthen the contractions, but I couldn't make it 15 feet once I was near transition.

We didn't know for sure she was  a girl, and we were SO HAPPY when she was! Her birth wasn't as long as her brother's, but longer than her little sister's. I suppose it was my easiest birth, if you can put those two words together in a sentence.

Rosie was a calm, beautiful baby and was always full of love as a little girl. I have precious memories of her cooing to me, "agoooo" before she could talk. But I knew what she meant. <3

Now she is becoming a strong, self-assured young lady who is an amazing dancer and artist. She is known for being kind, well mannered, but fairly silly. I love her so much.

Happy Birthday darling Rosie!