Elegantly Eleven

Olivia turned 11 on December 11! It was her "golden" birthday, something I've never heard of before, but as I understand from Olivia, is a big deal. However, my friend Jenny says she knows exactly what Livi's talking about, so I must admit ignorance. 11 years ago Olivia came into our world. After a 6 month stint with colic I remember a little girl who was always cheerful...always happy. She was truly our "little sunshine." She added a brightness to our lives unparalleled. She was also the girliest little girl I've ever met. She didn't just walk from place to place, we used to say she "flitted," like a butterfly. She loved all things princess and all things pink. She was rarely upset or sad. She also had an incredible knack to make people smile. Her laugh was something of music. I remember pushing her in a swing at the park when she was about 2 years old and her laugh caused such a commotion that a group of people gathered around us and watched and listened as I swung her back and forth. Random people were taking her picture. She was a beautiful little girl and still is.

When she started school Olivia had found her calling, just like her Dad. She absolutely loves to learn and she loves the social opportunities school affords her. She is a great student and her teachers have never had anything negative or even mediocre to say about her. My Parent-Teacher conferences for Olivia are filled with the teacher telling me how much they love Olivia, how she is a great example to other children etc, etc. It's quite comical actually, and become a bit of a family joke...we always argue about who gets to go listen to the teacher go on about Olivia. She loves to read and has probably read more books than I have in my life (I'm now 35).

This year Olivia read the whole Harry Potter series in approximately 5 months. She also continued to take jazz dance lessons where she is the smallest girl in her class but can dance like nobody's business. She plays the piano as well and is excelling in that. I guess she has the musical talent that runs in the family (but skipped a generation!). She's constantly humming something to herself. Her artistic abilities are also incredible as are her writing abilities. We love to read her newest stories and poems.

Olivia is a great friend and loves to e-mail her friends several times a day to keep them all in the loop of what's going on in her life. She is a big sister and also a little sister. She is Isaac's pseudo-mom when I'm not around and they have a very tight relationship. She is the best big sister of anyone I've ever seen. She enjoys tormenting her older brother and can do it better than anyone on earth, and she seems to be somewhat proud of that. She continues to LOVE babies and can't get enough of her little cousins. She will someday be an amazing mommy.

I cannot imagine life without this little girl, who is not so much a little girl anymore. We have such joy because of her. I'm incredibly proud of the way she is growing up despite all my efforts! I still can't believe she's one short year away from Middle School. I anticipate great things from her...she doesn't do anything half-way. We love her so much!!