Sophie is the big 10!

 Growing up in so many ways!

  Over the past six months or so I have seen the biggest change in Sophie.  Maturing is probably the best word for it.  Everything about her seems to be being "tweaked."  Something in her bright eyes, the shape of her sweet face, the serving attitude when she is helping me or her sisters out, the relationship and conversations we share, shifting, ever so slightly, but a shift none the less.  Some of this shift is hard to accept.  I see my first born, my baby who has always seemed a bit older than her actual age, continuing to surprise me with her thoughts as she shares with me, not taking it as fact just because we say it is fact, but digging in, analyzing, making her own judgements. Its exciting to see what God is shaping her into, not always easy, but exciting!

 This year we planned to be in WV on Sophie's birthday to celebrate my Grandma's 90 birthday (and what a celebration it was!)  However, 9 hours in the car was not exactly the best way to celebrate Sophie's tenth.  SO, my mom spoke with her neighbor and set up a special surprise for Sophie the day before her actual birthday.  She was going to get to go to the stables just down the road from my parents' house and not just ride a horse, but learn a lot about horses too.  Sophie got to help groom the horse in preparation for riding, she fed the horses, she rode Tristan while receiving a lesson for well over an hour and ended up riding all by herself for quite a while.  She had a blast!

After the amazing treat we headed back to get scrubbed up for Granny's party.  Did I say Granny's party?  Well at Granny's party my mom and aunt had set up a special side room for Sophie to celebrate her birthday with several of her favorite people... her cousins and sisters.  Definitely one of the highlights of celebrating turning 10.  

 

There was even still snow around the edges of the parking lot, Sophie was overjoyed to get to play in the snow as part of her celebration!!

Waking up on her actual birthday, Sophie was pumped that Grandma kept the steamer tradition going even though we were away from home!!

 

With big time snow on the road trip home Sophie felt like God was whispering a birthday wish with falling snow!!  Squeals of delight rang out as she caught a few snowflakes during a quick pit stop.

 The following day we took our "birthday" skip day from school.  (Haleigh was sick so we didn't get to go out to celebrate even more but we did some baking!)

Sophie wanted to try her baker hand at making and decorating her cake this year.  We had a blast baking, making icing, designing her Kung Fu Panda character cake, and decorating it.  We also ate way too much icing!!

 Sophie did a great job on her cake and was very proud to call her first decorating project a real success!!