Avery is Nine!

I asked Avery what she wanted to do for her birthday and after some thought and back-and-forth, she landed on a shopping trip with me.  This girl loves to shop but I do not, so sadly she rarely steps foot in a non-grocery retail space.

We picked up breakfast on the way out, excited to be off on our adventure.  Cousin Madison was our first stop.  She's 13, so she could be trusted with fashion questions and also help infuse enthusiasm into the material consumption process.

 After everything had been tried on and we'd agreed on a few items, we went out to lunch and had a lovely spot in the shade on the patio.  These two girls are so delightful...and so grown up!

 Back at home, Avery opened some cards and gifts and had visitors and phone calls.

 Amanda bundled all her pencils together in a cloth napkin and told Avery she could choose whichever ones she wanted.

She also gave her an owl that she spotted several months ago and had actually kept it a secret.

 Then Nana and Grandpa John took the family out for dinner.

Avery is such a gift to our family.  She is as classic first-born as they come.  She's conscientious, observant, caring, happy, faithful, capable, trust-worthy.  She is patient with and protective of her siblings and welcomes new people into our home with great enthusiasm.

She is very nurturing and is a little obsessed with babies.  She is organized and cautious and responsible.

She tells stories in great detail, backing up to the beginning and making sure its accurate, down to the times and colors involved.

She loves to read, do crafts, swim, sled, play with her siblings and cousins, do homework, shop, take care of babies, have one-on-one time with her parents, check Instagram, play sports, swing.

What an incredible honor I have to be her mom and get an up-close seat to her growing into a remarkable young lady.