At 10:31am yesterday, my oldest daughter became my first baby to reach a double-digit age. She turned ten years old. I cannot believe it’s been over a decade since we found out she was a girl… and then all of a sudden, she was born. She changed my life in ways I never expected. She was perfect. She was precious. She was my daughter… Time seemed to move so much faster after she came. My life was spent grasping at moments and trying to keep up, but enjoying trying to figure her out … and watching her find her place in this big world.

Since we planned a Valentine-themed birthday party, we are having it next weekend closer to the 14th. However, today we wanted to do something to celebrate her big 1-0 day!! We let the kids choose what they wanted for lunch and ended up going to Sonic and Raising Canes … when we got home, we sang Happy Birthday to her and at the end, when we sing, “How old are you?” the kids always yell how old the birthday person is. Well, Barry said TWENTY instead of ten and then sang, “To college you’ll gooooo, and the rest will follow!” haha I told him hopefully she won’t be TWENTY and just starting college but it was still hilarious. The kids got a kick out of it and Briyana just smiled and rolled her eyes {typical ‘tween}…

Briyana’s Life, A Recap:

• One Month Old | First Shots
• Two Months Old
• Three Months Old
• Four Months Old
• Five Months Old
• Six Months Old
• Seven Months Old
• First Birthday
• 19-months-old {An Update}
• Update – 8/2005 {5 years old}
• First Day of Kindergarten | My Kindergarten Graduate
• 6 Years Old | 1st Grade, 2006
• 7 Years Old
• Last Year {9th Birthday}

Over the years, I’ve often said she’s my opposite, but as she matures I’m not so sure that’s completely true. She’s still super girly which she definitely did NOT get from me, but she has so much more to her than what is on the surface. She’s silly/goofy and she loves to be the center of attention. Even so, she has a shy side to her and it’s hard for her to warm up to people at times. Sometimes she says things she doesn’t mean to say and I’ve noticed that she often adopts the mannerisms of those she’s around the most. She’s a nurturer which makes her an amazing big sister. She has HUGE hopes which sometimes leads to HUGE disappointments. When you ask her what she wants in life, she will tell you she is going to be famous. Famous for what, you ask? She’s not sure yet. She’s still working on that part LOL

She likes to be liked by everyone. She tries to maintain a perfect balance in her personality which allows her to have friends in every group and be accepted without limitation. She is greeeeeeedy when it comes to food {I wonder where she got THAT from??} and oh my gosh that child can eat like a grown man LOL The older she gets, the more I understand what makes her tick… the more I recognize all of the “me” in her. She’s not really my “baby” anymore, but even so in a way she will always be my baby. My first baby. My first everything as a mother. She taught me so much about myself; revealed to me so much about life and drove me to want more out of it – for her sake.

I love her more than words can ever express… and because of that, I will have to always remember to show her exactly what I can never adequately say. I’m so proud of the young lady she has become and I look forward to seeing where her big dreams take her in life.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRIYANA!!! I love you :)

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