Monday, November 12, 2012

Thirteen!

In the midst of not having power, my girl turned THIRTEEN!!!

A real bona-fide teenager!

I am caught between missing my cuddly little sweet pea whose world I could control and just being in absolute awe of what an amazing and beautiful person she is turning out to be!

On the morning of her birthday, Jason surprised her with a Beach Cruiser--something she had been wanting badly.  She was thrilled--she had no idea that he was getting it for her and she was absolutely blown away and excited!!  She loves the retro style of the bike he chose and has been out riding every good weather day since!

Something she did know was in the works was that I was going to allow her to wear make-up.  Just a little.  Just foundation, blush, mascara and a lightly tinted gloss.  We had been discussing this for months.  I had told her that I would allow her to start wearing make-up for her thirteenth birthday IF she washed her face twice a day, kept her skin clean and clear.  And she did...even when the water heater busted just before the hurricane hit and we had cold water for over a week...she washed her face in frigid water twice a day!


Despite the power being out, the celebration must go on!  We had a family dinner party, as we always do for the girls' birthdays.  I boiled a ham--came out really good that way! and made sweet potato pierogies (Mrs. T's - I had them in the freezer) and some lima beans and brussels sprouts...also had been frozen before the power went out.
Jason is slicing the ham while Allie and my mom hold flashlights for him to see by--I had to use a flash, it was just not coming out right otherwise.
 Piper completely surprised Allie by buying her the Taylor Swift perfume that Allie had been saving for!
Piper surprised Allie
 I am so proud of the creative, beautiful girl that Allie has become. In the last few weeks, as Allie approached thirteen, she and I have gotten closer.  We both became absolutely enamored with Downton Abbey this summer.  We saw Bruce together this summer.  We've been watching "My So-Called Life" on Netflix together every night.  We have spent hours talking and laughing together.  We have confided in each other and shared our hurts in a way that I never could have shared with her just a few years ago.  Allie is such a sensitive and sympathetic and empathetic and understanding young girl.  I can go to her and she will listen and offer advice or encouragement or just a shoulder to cry on.  I do the same for her.  I listen to her hopes and dreams and I wish with all of my heart that I can make them all come true--but the best I can do is guide her in a warm and loving way toward realizing those dreams.
My girls are blessed with a close relationship
 When you have a baby you have dreams for them.  As they get older, you need to let them dream their own dreams, even if those dreams may be a bit different than what you had in mind.  Oh, it's hard...you don't want them to get hurt, but you want them to DREAM BIG.

When Allie was two or three, she saw a cheerleading competition on TV and used to run around pretending to be a cheer leader.  My aunt gave her a set of pom-poms.  She was so into fashion and clothes that I was sure she would be one of those popular, cheerleader types.  Although I was not that kind of girl myself, I was fine with that.  I could get on board with it.  I could encourage the clothes, the dance, the gymnastics.

By the time Allie was old enough to try-out for the cheerleading team, she was no longer interested in that.  She was into fashion, but more in terms of creating her own style, doing her own thing.  She loves vintage and retro items mixed with combat boots and more modern apparel.  I love it.  It works for her.  She has told me time and again when we go shopping, 'I am not into what everyone else is wearing or doing, I want to do my own thing.  Don't you know that yet?"  I love it.  I could not be happier.  Although I can not take credit for it, I would waaaaay rather my kids not follow the crowd.

She is into art.  She spends hours in her art studio.  Sometimes she is just itching to sew.  You can see her fingers twitching.  She bargains with her sister to do the dishes or some other chore so she can get into the studio and create...handbags and accessories.  I can see her opening an etsy or website and selling her creations as a high school project.  Spending our time learning business math and marketing, web design and networking.  Fortunately for Allie the woman she babysits for is an entrepreneur who has owned several successful businesses and is now the editor of a well-known business website and she has taken a keen interest in Allie.

But Allie thinks all that sounds boring.  I asked her the other day what she wants to be when she grows up.  "An adult," she replied.

My funny girl.  {Pray for us!}

Do you see that cake?  Another thing I love about my girl is that she picks great cakes!!  lol...I have them trained...it is not dessert without chocolate!  it is the first time ever in my girls' lives that I did not bake their birthday cake.  But without power, we could not use our oven.  So we took a trip to a gourmet bakery for a little treat ;-)

Chocolate Bon Bon cakes



Make a wish!
My wish: For all of her wishes to come true.  With hard work and dedication, I am certain they will!

*   *   *   *   *

We had planned a slumber party for last weekend for Allie, followed by dinner at the restaurant of her choice.  Both had to be cancelled because neither us nor the restaurant had power last weekend.
We are working on a date for the slumber party.
But we were able to go to dinner last night at the place Allie picked:  Cheeburger, Cheeburger.
For those who don't know, Cheeburger, Cheeburger is 1950's themed and you can customize EVERYTHING--burgers, salads, shakes, sodas, sundaes...
My parents - who grew up in the 1950's - came to celebrate with us and they loved it--they were dancing and bopping to the music and enjoyed drinking egg creams and malts again!

Happy 13th Birthday, Allie!

When it was time for dessert, the whole place sang to Allie!
She was mortified!
I know from this picture it looks as though there is no one else there, but there were people behind and on the sides of us! 
Allie getting some love from her Daddy ;)