Yup, we have a teenager in the house. Oh my sweet, sweet Sissy lou, I just can’t believe it. You are growing and maturing too fast for words.

You’re stealing my clothes, learning to do nails and makeup better than I can, and you’re still nice! How are you still nice?! 13 yr olds are supposed to be cranky, eye rolling monsters. Also you’re not supposed to have patience, which you seem to have a boat load of. The hormones are supposed to drive you mad, and in turn drive me mad, but here we are and you are so unbelievably kind, confident, and well rounded. Oh and you still like me! I think there is some unwritten rule that you are supposed to turn on me for a few years and decided that I only exist to make your life miserable, but nope. So far you have defied all the classic teenage girl drama (i respect and support this decision).

I wish I was as cool as you when I was 13. You have such a mature outlook on life. You’re the best big sister anyone could ever ask for, and I think you teach me more than I teach you these days. I sound repetitive when I say how proud of you I am, but there is just no other way to say it. You are so creative, kind, beautiful, smart, confident, mature and empathetic.

Maybe in these next few teenage years you will decide to turn on me, but I have no fear that in the end you’ll come out just as beautiful as you went into your teenage years. I’ll see you through all the hormonal drama and still be your number one fan. Though, if you decide to continue on the path of skipping the whole teenage drama thing…i’ll for sure support you on that road!

My homemade cake 2 layer cake thought it would be a good idea to turn itself into a one layer cake after an hour in the fridge. That was fantastic. Thankfully the rest of your bday wasn’t an epic fail, and the cake still tasted good, and the ice cream sundae bar was a success.

Again this year you just wanted a family bday with the beach, picnic, and games. Ugh just fills my heart. It was the most perfect day for the most perfect human. There are just no words to describe how much i love you, and how proud I am of you. I will just try to continue to show it, and show up for you each day of my life. You are everything. You are so special and so loved. I hope you always know this, and just continue to be you b/c you’re a gem!