Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Happy birthday to a special girl

Today is my niece's 11th birthday. I have been thinking of her so much and so I decided to write a little something to honor her today. I have been thinking about all our fun times together, looking at photos and laughing out loud. Doing these simple things has completely brightened my day!

Top ten things I love about this amazing girl (in no particular order):
- she is an old soul and very mature for her age. Some of the things that come out of her mouth are mind boggling.
- she has this ability to make you laugh at any given moment. If she sees that you are sad or struggling, she always trys to put a smile on your face
- she has the biggest sweet tooth of anyone I have ever met. She must have a hollow leg as that girl can pack back more desserts than most adults.
- she has the biggest heart in the world
- she is frighteningly intelligent and perceptive
- she is the only person I would allow to coerce me into going on an amusement park ride, puke my guts out and then continue going on more rides!
- that girl can dance!
- she loves to play cards and can beat me at crib already! Wait until she is playing poker with the family - watch out!
- her wit and sarcasm (she comes by it honestly)
- her big beautiful smile.

Some of my all time favorite moments:
- taking her on her first flight to go to a family renuion. She was three years old and when the flight attendants sat down for take off, she looked at me in horror and said, "Aunty, why are they sitting down and who is going to fly the plane???". Once we arrived at the reunion, my relatives were roasting an entire pig on a spit. She took one look at it and then declared to me: "I am NOT eating any of that chicken!!!" I still laugh out loud when I think of that weekend
- taking her camping, rustic style, in the Rocky Mountains and taking her on her first mountain hike. Hmmmmm, camp fire and smores.
- our girls camping trip with our two cousins before I left the country. Again, in the Rocky Mountains. First experience with a grizzly! Scary, but memorable!
- taking her to Candle Lake with me to see my friend Lisa and her kids
- car dancing to Gwen Stefani and doing our special dance

Here she is on her very first visit to Manzanillo at the age of 3 with my late mother.


Here she is in Manzanillo 5 years later with one of the street dogs she would feed with her own money. She named him "Cutie".


Proving that yes she can fit in Jackson's kennel after many pieces of cheesecake. This was taken at our Canmore family reunion


Goofing around in typical "Grandma Griz" fashion with her cousin


Jackson and my niece at Candle Lake


Her first hike in the Rocky Mountains with Jackson and I


Last summer on our way to the mountains


I miss her so much and cannot wait to see her at Christmas! She is coming to visit for several weeks and I am soooooooooo excited.

Happy Birthday to my special girl. I love you and can't wait to see you. XOXO

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