Rylee is 10!!!

Ry and her friends at the Ute Gymnastics Meet
Rylee on her first birthday!
Rylee minutes after arriving!

Yesterday was Rylee's 10th birthday! I can't believe she is 10, time has flown by in so many ways. She was due on my birthday (Jan.23) and my dad wanted her to come on his birthday (Feb.1), but she decided to have her own birthday and arrived on Feb.2 at 6:12 p.m. after 12 hours of labor and over an hour of pushing. She weighed 8 pounds and 5 ounces at birth and now at 10 years old she is only 60 pounds. She was a really good baby: she started sleeping through the night by 6 weeks, she was always happy and smiling, she would sleep anytime and anywhere, she was very social, etc. She is still a great kid: still sleeps anytime and anywhere (pretty much), she is still very social, she is an awesome friend, she helps me around the house, she is a great big sister, she is fun to be around, she is smart, she is tender hearted, she is a good example to those around her (including her dad & mom), etc...I could keep going, but you all know how great she is!!! We are so blessed to have her in our life and our family.

Her birthday also marks the day we moved into our home, her first birthday actually. So we have been here for 9 years, I can't believe that either! We love where we live and know this is where we are suppose to be.

On Rylee's 4th birthday her cousin, Kaienta, arrived! The 2 of them share a birthday and a middle name (Marie). They have always been close, a kind of special kinship you could say. They have been lucky enough to celebrate together most years, but now Kaienta lives in Spain. We miss Kaienta and talk of her often, but she was especially in our hearts yesterday. Happy Birthday Kaienta! We love you and miss you!

For Rylee's birthday party we took her and 7 of her friends to dinner at The Spaghetti Factory and to the Ute Gymnastics Meet. It was a lot of fun! A little crazy as you can imagine with 8 nine and ten year old girls, but a great time! Mike even came with us and said it wasn't too bad.

I keep wondering what the next 10 years will bring for Rylee. I can't help but worry as she faces new challenges and the crazy world we live in. I hope she will stay strong and continue to make wise choices that will make her happy. I hope I can be the mom she needs, that I am up to the challenges as a parent.

Happy Birthday Rylee! We love you!