Twelve

Mikelle - 2 Weeks Old - August 2000

Twelve Years ago today, this little Goober came into our lives. She was 7lbs 3oz and about 2 weeks early. Today, she is Twelve. TWELVE.

It's nuts. NUTS. 

I knew from the get-go, that she would be stubborn, and I was right. It was part of the fear I had in having a girl first. However, God knew what he was doing. She is the kind of stubborn that is frustrating because she's smart, but sometimes her grades don't show it because she's interested in other things and we have to pull teeth to get her back on track. 

But I digress. 

Age 8 Weeks - September 2000 with Zoey

Mikelle and her Mom's Cousin Katie - 8 Weeks

I can't imagine life without her, and she's really good at spoiling AleXander. 

She loves Christian and I've even heard her say it recently. They just have a turbulent relationship being that they are 3 1/2 years apart. I am confident that they will be close later. 

Mikelle - 6 Months - February 2001

Age 1 - With Daddy - August 2001

Age 2

3rd Birthday 8/7/03

Age 5 - Fall Soccer 2005

Kindergarten Picture Day - 2005 Age 5

December 2009 - Age 9

Spring 2012 Age 11 1/2

PARTY!!!!!

She had a little birthday party over the weekend. It's deathly hot, so it was a swim party at our neighborhood pool. Then we PLANNED for them to come back to the house and watch a movie. But it turned into only a couple of them watching the movie and the rest running around all hyper-like. That's okay. They had fun. But I won't lie - I was relieved when the end came. lol

These two were taken a week ago, actually, but this seems like a good place to put them.

Swim Party 8/4/12

Mmmm....Pizza and Root Beer

Back at the house for birthday cake, presents and craziness!

Love that smile!

They DO love each other.

Presents!

Presents!

"Inside Joke" Presents!

I still love that smile...

The following day, Sunday 8/5/12, she was sung to in Primary. Oh.My.Gosh. I wish I could have videotaped it. She was up there with another young lady and the other young lady was embarrassed, but she stood there politely. Mikelle? It was like she was so depressed and in agony. In agony to be leaving Primary? Oh no. She wants to leave Primary. It's the agony about being sung to. I get that she didn't like it, but she made sure we all knew it. If I did videotape it, I would have dubbed the music over with something depressing like the "Death March" or something.

I know I posted this already, but this bears repeating, based on how she reacted to the singing in Primary:

And no, she wouldn't say the below phrase, but the look on her face when she was being sung to on Sunday seems to fit the sentiment. 

But with Mikelle, it shows we don't have wonder what she's thinking. Sure, sometimes it's hard to "get it out of her" when she's upset, but she has no problem letting us know what she likes, doesn't like, and what she enjoys. I hope that spirit carries her nicely through adolescence and she is still her own person and not a follower of crazy peer pressure. 

Happy Birthday Mikelle! Keep growing, but can you do it without us feeling so old? Purty Please?