Happy Birthday Maria!

Maria turned 11 years old on the first of September. She had a couple of best friends over for a "girls day out" which included an overnight visit Friday night, then a trip to the local bead store to make lovely baubles in the morning, lunch at her favorite Chinese restaurant, and one really this is the last time trip to the swimming pool. It was great fun, all giggly and girly and full of the swinging from small adult to big kid that only preteens can pull off, giggling over the guys in High School Musical 2 from behind cucumber masks one minute to making play doh sculptures in the craft room the next.


I don't usually like to post photos of other people's children, in case they have objections, but I thought no one but the mother would recognize this lovely creature from the deep.

I wanted to make one of those nifty photo montages for Maria this year, but I just couldn't find the time to figure the darned thing out, though not for lack of trying...so we'll be satisfied with a few pictures of my sweet girl, part little kid who still climbs on my lap to snuggle, not noticing the gangly arms and legs that no longer fit on my lap anymore, part young lady who is often amazingly mature and insightful. I love you Ri.



She started life as a woefully frail and underfed child.

Three years old...she has this layered haircut because shortly before this picture was taken she had taken a pair of scissors to her head.

That's my kid on the end, shaking her can.

The ballerina...

Kindergarten picture...always small for her age, Maria was the World's Tiniest Kindergartener. She was not quite 5 years old when she started, and her backpack went covered her from neck to knees.


This tooth fell out right before she went onstage in The Nutcracker

A really over-sugary Easter morning

Maria and Jack

Maria and Jack prepare for the birthday festivities to begin.

The birthday girl gets a new bike.


And, just for fun, the cake that burnt the science project.