Wednesday, September 25, 2013
A 6-year-old Princess Annabelle.
On Sunday the 15th, our big girl turned a whopping 6 years old! We celebrated in true Annabelle-fashion in Alexandria Bay, NY at the beautiful Boldt Castle. A real castle for our very own princess.
For weeks, Annabelle would tell every soul she came into contact with her big birthday plans. The best part (according to her)? The staircase! Every princess deserves to walk down a grand set of stairs with all eyes on her.
She practically floated through the entire castle. Each room she entered she beamed over details and lovely accessories and even adored the unfinished, seemingly spooky, rooms with all their adventure had and to be had. Her little brother gave her about 2 whole minutes of ballroom dance time and she couldn't have been more happy. (He preferred break dancing [or some Bennett-version of this], which we spent at least 20 more minutes just watching that craziness take place.)
We picnicked on the castle grounds with our closest friends and sang 'Happy Birthday' to the birthday girl over giant brownies from our local bakery. Her favorite.
At the end of our visit, she wanted to do it all over again. Or, couldn't we just live there? A true princess at heart.
She is all things girly and princess. She picks pink over any other color, any day. She prefers her hair down to flow in the wind. (And loves wind! She's disappointed on rainy days when we can't roll the windows down in the van.) Jeans are a travesty when I make her wear them. Skirts and dresses are much better, so she says.
Six years old just seems so grown now. A first grader, reading sight words and whizzing through math books. Her first wiggly tooth. Helping me cook in the kitchen, and actually helping rather than it all being a "learning process" (for me and for her!). Caring for baby Emmalee with such a mama's heart that I'm constantly reminded of the 'big picture' of training a child. A lady. A woman. Someday, a mama.
She is artistic. And goofy. And dramatic.
She oozes with colorful life and the epitome of a carefree childhood.
This girl has her heart locked with her Daddy's. She is the princess, and he is her prince. Don't ask him to talk on his love for Annabelle, unless you're prepared for his waterworks.
'Blessed' doesn't even seem big enough a word for the amount of love and gratefulness we have for this bright girl. Having Annabelle for a daughter makes life so very rich.
"To mother a daughter, to look you in the eye
To know that I had everything, to walk with you in life
To give you to Jesus that He would impart
The wisdom that I'm longing for to mother your heart"
Heather Dowling at 8:44 PM
