4.11.15

#Abbieis13!!

I don't do hashtags.  Because I'm just not that cool.  But today I will.  Because #Abbieis13!!  And I really should try to be cool for my favorite niece's 13th birthday!

We celebrated a couple of weeks ago at her neon dance party!  Yes.  We were instructed to wear neon colors and our dancing shoes.  Unfortunately, I waited until the end of the night to get a picture.  So we're all looking pretty rough (especially Mason!).  Except for the 13 year old.

I mean, I do not even know how this happened.  Before I had my own two daughters, I had my niece.  I am very proud of her and the young lady she is becoming.  I am also glad that my girls have their sweet girl cousin to look up to.

And on this day 13 years ago, Abbie Eileen was born.  She waited all day until her Uncle Seth and I could get off work and get to the hospital before she made her arrival.  We got there just in time to see her before Ashley went into recovery.  This picture was taken at Thanksgiving.

Abbie has always been a great cousin.  This picture was taken in February 2006.  Mason was 7 months old, and Abbie was three years old.  She's the same age Ellie is now.

And this was just a couple of months later that same year.  

We've had some fun birthday parties over the years.  This was in 2008.  Since her birthday is so close to Halloween, she had a Halloween party this year.  I couldn't find a picture of Abbie, Mason and Hannah Kate.  Hannah Kate was 11 months old and dressed as a Georgia cheerleader.

She had a fashion show for her 7th birthday in 2009.

We painted at her 8th birthday party in 2010.  She is the age that Hannah Kate almost is now.

She had an ice skating party for her 9th birthday.

I can't remember what her 10th birthday party was.  It might've been her slumber party.  But this picture was taken the same time at Dolly Dingkle day at dance.  She was 10 years old, the same age that Mason is now.

I also don't remember what her 11th birthday party was.  We went to Houston around that same time so this picture was taken there.  She was 11 years old.

This was last year.  We had cake and ice cream after church.

And this was the neon dance party, complete with a photo booth.

There's nothing like a dance party with a bunch of 13 year olds to make one feel aged!  And obviously Abbie felt the same way.  At one point, I was trying to teach Ellie how to hula hoop.  Abbie missed my demonstration but came running up to me when she saw a hula hoop in my hand.  (The day after her party I took the youth in my Sunday School class to Area 51, an extreme jump venue, so that's what she's referring to.)

Abbie:  Aunt Julie, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

Me:  I'm showing Ellie how to hula hoop.  Didn't you see my mad skills?

Abbie:  No.  But you don't need to be doing that.  You promised that you would jump with us tomorrow at Area 51.  So you should probably be saving your energy.

Me:  Are you KIDDING ME?!  You mean to tell me you think I can't hula hoop one night and jump the next?!

Abbie:  Well, okay, whatever, but I'm just saying.  Whatever you think.

Well, here's what I think.  Time flies.  Happy TEENAGER Birthday, dear Abbie!