Adalyn's 7th Birthday

Every year it doesn't seem to make sense how this kid can be getting so big!  This year is no exception.  Especially since just prior to her birthday I noticed that suddenly all of her pants looked like floods! Some things about Adalyn I want to remember are...

• She loves to learn.  She is always asking questions and trying to understand the world around her.  She loves coming home from school and telling us the new vocabulary words she learned for the day, and then finding ways to use them in a sentence in our normal conversations.  She is still an avid reader and gets lost in books easily.  
• Her best friend is Sofia Villamizar, whom she has known since kindergarten.  They are in the same class together and would spend every waking moment together if they could.  
• She has been taking voice lessons for the past 6 months and she is loving them.  She will sing or put on a show any chance that she gets, singing throughout most of the day. 
• She is still a very picky eater and dislikes more foods than I can list.  Lately, we have been asking her to "just try" things hoping to expand her palette.  Her favorites include almost anything with sugar, pizza, apples, Grandma Payne's curry, potatoes, and grapes.
• She is a great big sister.  She is always looking out for her younger sisters and makes sure they are doing what they should be.  I can always count on her to take care of Tessly when she needs help. It is comforting to me to know that Addie will be there when Quincy starts school. 
• She is shy and outgoing all wrapped up into one.  If she is helping someone or teaching something she is confident and fearless, but occasionally her shyness comes out when she is put on the spot or meeting someone new.
• She loves amusement parks and is always asking if we can go to Lagoon.  She will try just about anything even if she is scared at first.  She loves riding bikes and scooters and swimming.
• When she grows up she wants to be a mom... or a singer.  
• She is a perfectionist and can get frustrated easily when things don't work out the way she wants them to.  
• She is a joy to know.  Things that others have said about her are: sweet, funny, loving, and smart.  We have never had a teacher, primary teacher, or babysitter who didn't love having her.  

On her birthday we woke up extra early so that she had time to open presents before heading off to school.  

And of course birthday doughnuts are a must...

She couldn't wait to try out the rollerblades that she got from Grandma and Grandpa Payne...

Then she got to choose where we went to dinner and we had cake and ice cream after...

She had her birthday party on Saturday and it was so much fun.  She decided that she wanted an Art Party and it ended up being one of my favorite parties to throw.  

The little artists painting their pictures...

Starving Artists...

Playing Pin the Paintbrush on the Palette...

"Painting" our cookie canvases...

Opening presents.  I loved watching how excited each kid got when Addie opened their present and how proud they were when she was excited about it. 

This group of kids has been so fun for Addie to have.  They are all such good kids and such fun friends for her.

She is already talking about next years birthday (sigh) but it warms my heart to hear how excited she is to turn 8 so that she can be baptized.  While I love that she is already thinking about it, I also don't want her to wish the years away!  Stay little, my love.  Just stay little.