Selah's 10th Birthday!

Happy 10th birthday, to our beautiful Selah!

Double digits! It's still mind blowing that our second born is ten. It will be a blink and we'll have a house full of teenagers. Every older mother warned me that my kids' childhoods would go by quickly, and I believed them, but I had no idea just how quickly it would go by. 

I really feel like our little girl became a pre-teen this year. She's very mature and almost like a mini-adult at times. :) Maybe that's because of of homeschooling? Or maybe that's just how she's wired. I'm not sure. Whatever the reason, I'm so thankful for her caring heart and can-do attitude. Obviously she still squabbles with her brothers and is a typical 10 year old girl, but she's so aware of the life going on around her, and happy to help wherever she can without even being asked. And when it comes to school, she knows exactly what she needs to get done, and just does it. She's responsible, good at taking care of her pets, and such a sweet person. She amazes me.

Selah loves to plan her birthday parties, but this year she had a hard time even thinking of what she wanted to do. So we went out on a little mom-daughter date to talk about it and dream up her fun day. After she had come up with a birthday plan she said, "it's so nice to be able to think without the noisy boys here!" ;) That cracked me up, and made me realize that Selah may need a little more space away from the boys this coming school year...

Josh and I think that Selah would enjoy trying out a sport or something were she could be on a team with some friends. She loves animals and art, so she isn't always the most keen on sports, but we also haven't taken the time to expose her to them, simply due to other things going on in life. She often steps us as the leader when she's in a group, and we think she may enjoy having something fun apart from "those noisy boys". ;) 

So, for Selah's 10th birthday she decided to forgo a birthday party and do this instead:

1. Open presents first thing!
2. Family plays outside
3. Go to lunch at New Morning Bakery
4. Go ice skating in Eugene
5. Taco Soup for dinner
6. Cake & ice cream
7. Watch a movie

It was a great day and we had a lot of fun watching her shine! Selah, you are a gift to our family & we love who God made you! You are beautiful inside and out, and a joy to be around. Thank you for caring so much for you family, and for loving your brother's so well. We give thanks for you! xoxo

1. Opening gifts: this year the gifts definitely transitioned to older kid things like necklaces, sunglasses, a travel mug, slippers, doodle pad and swivel scooter.

Grandpa Mike and Grandma Chris came by to visit and bring Selah a Target gift card, and Granddad Kevin and Grandma Janet brought her $2 bills in a cute wallet, and Grandma Jill took her to the Lego store the following weekend. She felt loved!

I asked Selah if I could snap a few pics of her before we headed on with the day. 

Her go-to poses, below... Just kidding... ;)

2. Family plays outside: part of the playing-outside-deal was that we parents had to hold a chicken. I somehow avoided being required to hold a chicken after Josh did, so I just remained silent about it. ;) But I did get to ride that fliker scooter and it was a lot of fun! I can now see why my kids asked for them.

3. Lunch at New Morning Bakery: we all crammed into a tiny booth. :) It was busier than we expected! But the food and conversation was great! New Morning Bakery will forever make me think of my Grandma Gayle and her chicken salad croissant sandwiches. Yum! I'm glad Selah loves that place too. It brings back sweet memories and it's fun to make new ones there too.

4. Go ice skating in Eugene: this was great fun! It was at a hockey rink and the ice was so smooth, it made it really easy to glide along. Selah took right to the ice and I loved getting to skate with her. Jude hugged the wall for a while, but eventually figured it out and he did great! 

We wore matching top-knots that day. Selah wears that hair style so well! She's so cute! Me, on the other hand... I realized by the end of the day that it did not compliment a high forehead like mine, but it was a fun thing to do together! :)

This little skater just plugged along. I think he fell the most, but he had a great attitude!

We skated until the last minute of the two hour session and took this pic right as the ice smoothing machine came onto the ice to usher us out. ;)

Warming up back outside in the sun after being in the cold rink.

5. Taco Soup for dinner + 6. Cake & ice cream + 7. Watch a movie:

Selah requested an ice cream cone instead of a cake this year, so we doubled her up since she had reached double digits! And then we watched the fun movie, Enchanted.

What a joy you are Selah! We pray that this year is full of growth and beauty and the fun of trying new things. And I pray that you will know the depth of God's unending love for you! You are so very Loved!! xo, Happy 10th!!

A few of our favorite pics with you...