It's Great to be Eight

One night, several years ago, there was a new mom with a small, squalling, dark-haired baby girl.  This mom rocked her little girl back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.  And while she rocked her, she sang:

"I'll love you forever,

I'll like you for always,

As long as I'm living

So long as you LET ME SLEEP!"

That little baby girl grew.  She grew and she grew and she grew.  She grew until she was 3 years old.  She cut all of her beautiful long hair off.  She refused to try to potty train, and take naps.  And she would always steal her new little sister's binky.

But when that little toddler finally crashed for the night, her mom would sneak into her room, stroke her hair and sing this song,

"I'll love you forever,

I'll like you for always

As long as I'm living.

I'm glad you aren't a baby anymore."

That toddler grew.  She grew and she grew and she grew.  She grew until she was 8 years old.  She occasionally cleaned up after herself.  She loved to read.  She would help with her younger sisters.  She could carry on intelligent conversations.

Her parents both were ecstatic to think that someday she would be fully house-trained.  :)  And wondered what the next 8 years would bring.

I made the banner last night- cut out all those letters by hand, after a really long day.  And then I realized too late the blue paper was a wee bit too busy to see the letters.  Emma liked it though. 

Emma was awake at 6 am and kindly woke Elizabeth up on her way out of the bedroom to see if it was time to open presents up yet.  (It wasn't.)  But it was after school. 

She quickly made herself comfortable on the couch with her new book from her great-grandma.

We had Chinese take-out for dinner, followed by the movie "Barbie and the Mermaid Tale" (A rental- thank goodness.  Not one of the better Barbie movies by my standards.).

Lastly, it was cake time.