Sydney is a Teenager!

 Somehow (!!!), my oldest child is a teenager!  It's hard to believe!  

If you had asked me 10 years ago, I would've cringed at the thought of dealing with the teenage years.  But now that we're here, I say bring them on!  Sydney has really grown up recently, she's gotten to know herself better, she's figured out other activities besides athletics that she enjoys, and has learned to see through the BS of things.  Which I love! ;) She thinks a lot of things are silly- people doing all these cheesy social media things for attention; people obsessing so much on sports, thinking they'll make it big; she can almost sense a dramatic person when she meets them and she stays cautious... I absolutely love that she's able to steer away from a lot of those things.  I'm like that as an adult, but didn't know that as a child!  I think her injury has put a lot of things in perspective, and shows what's important and what's not, in a lot of cases!

For her birthday, we spent a few days celebrating.  

The Saturday before, I took her out to do some shopping and get a pedicure (just paint this time).

We spent the couple days before her birthday at Great Wolf Lodge!

The night before her birthday, she went to a "Color Wars" night at youth group and took a friend.  She came home looking like a smurf!  

That night, she opened her presents!

 

She finally got a phone!!  (since she was the "last person in 7th grade to have a phone", we figured it would be a good time. ;) )  

On her actual birthday, Stephen cooked her waffles and bacon, her request.  Then, she spent 6 hours babysitting!  It was her first official babysitting job, and she loved it. (and she literally made more than 3 times what I made babysitting at her age! ??)

That night, we went to Uncle Maddios and Grandmom met us there!  I can't believe I didn't take any pictures, but we had fun hanging out.

Then, Sydney went home with Grandmom and spent the night with her.  The next day, Grandmom took her shopping, out to get (real) pedicures, and out to lunch!

That night, she spent the night with a friend, whose mom took them to get their nails done (tips!!).  This girl has got to have the best finger and toe nails out there!

I would say it was a great birthday week for my now-teenager.  I just wish time would slow down a bit!

Happy birthday to my Sydney!