I’m usually pretty good at handling birthdays and getting older. I like that I’m older. I don’t feel old. I just feel smarter and more experienced. (okay, and I have a backache, there, I SAID IT.) (and yes, I could be more regular. Leave me alone.)
And is it me or is the music these days getting screechier?
So yes, older to me equals smarter and more experienced. That is…when you’re talking about ME.
Now if you’re talking about my children, well, I refuse to accept that idea. I am having the darndest time grasping the fact that my little girl is turning 8 today. I just don’t know how it happened. Mostly, what I don’t understand, however, is how she has aged in just these past few days. Maybe it’s because we bought her a shuffle for her birthday and the other night during our cleaning frenzy, she was listening to headphones, REALLY cleaning and wearing skinny jeans and I was like, well, wait a minute…WHO IS THAT?!
Yep, it was my girl.
I’m trying hard to be a witness to her growth, to accept the changes from cute and chubby little girl to cute and trendy big girl, who woke up “feeling like a teenager today,” but it’s hard. Real hard.
I honestly can’t believe my luck that I’m her Mom.
Here’s our interview from last night.
Hi Anna. Hi.
What are we doing her right now? You’re interviewing me because tomorrow is my birthday.
You’re going to be turning five? No, I’m turning 8.
That’s impossible. Well, I used to be five but now I’m really seven but in the morning I’ll turn 8.
But why? Because every year we turn a bigger number.
But remember when you were so tiny and I held you in my arms? No.
I did. You seriously did? I knew you did but I don’t remember.
What’s your favorite animal? A zebra. No wait…a bunny.
What’s your favorite color? Pretty much white. No wait…BLUE.
What did you do this past weekend? Went to Justice for the first time and I got an iPod shuffle from my Mom and my Dad on Saturday at my party. I just felt mustard in my teeth.
If you could do anything tomrorow, what would you do? Get a thousand dollars and then kiss it all over and then I’d spend it on shoes at Justice.
Why do you like Justice? Isn’t it full of bright pink and glitter and Justin Beiber shirts? oooh, gross, noooo. But there’s only a Justin Beiber CD.
Who is your favorite singer? Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift.
What are you doing this Friday? um, the talent show, I’m singing “Mine” with my best friend.
Are you nervous to sing? No, because I sound really good.
Do you love having two younger brothers? Sort of. With Eli I have to help him and with Noah I have to take tags off of his stuff.
But don’t you like helping, doesn’t your heart like it? uh, I sort of like helping.
What do you love most about Noah? He has lots of Legos and he lets me have two of his pens for my DSi.
So, he’s nice? yep.
What do you love most about Elijah? oooooh, HE’S CUUUUUTE AND SMAALLLL AND TINY AND chubby.
What do you love most about your parents? They let me watch TV, they got me a pillow pet. My Mom is huggable, funny and kind. My Dad helps me with my homework and helps me with things that I don’t get on the computer, he’s tall and he’s strong and picks me up.
What do you love most about life? I get to see my friends everyday, my teacher is so nice, that we have a beautiful house.
How many apples a day would you eat if it was your choice? if we had like 12 bags of them, I’d eat five a day.
What’s your favorite vegetable? Peas.
Do you know how much I love you? No.
I love you so so so so so much, I want to squish you and hug you and kiss you every second of the day. Okay, just do it now.
Maybe I will.
Happy 8th birthday, big girl. YAYYYYY!
Happy birthday to your lovely young lady! : ) Love these interviews. What a fun way to chronicle their thoughts and feelings. : )
You enjoy every single moment with them because it absolutely does fly right on by before you know it. My BABY is 8. My oldest is almost 27. How can that be???
{sigh} A girl after my own heart – loves lotsa shoes and Taylor Swift!
)
Beth, I love watching your kids grow up through your blog. Thanks for sharing them with us.
Kate
Happy Birthday to her! My daughter turned 8 in December… and I cried all day. It didn’t help that the day before my son had turned 12.
My daughter adores Selena Gomez! (I secretly do too)
whoa.
hello Ms. Anna who is gorgeous and looks too much like a teenager now.
(have fun with that Brian)
I do hope you have a fabulous, glittery birthday Anna!
Gorgeous! And what a great moment in time – that interview. And – happy BIRTH day to you too, mama.
I love these birthday interviews: so sweet and sentimental and funny all at the same time! (Great pictures of your girlie, by the way!)
“No, because I sound really good.”
Eight year olds don’t say this. What an amazing little girl. I love this interview. (All those periods would be exclamation points were I not so awestruck by the cute.)
I can’t believe she is 8!! She is so, so pretty! Dad is going to have his hands full keeping those boys away from her.
Happy Birthday to Anna!
And belated Happy Birthday wishes to Noah!!
Oh, I love this post and interview so much. The openers – you are so funny! And the interview – says so much about this quirky, sweet, and lovable girl! The pictures – stellar! and more than I can bear.
What did happen in the last few days?
Happy Birthday to a wonderful girl and her wonderful mom! (and this post is extraordinary!!!)
She is beautiful. My 8 and 9 year old girls also love Taylor Swift. They say they like Justin Bieber but they only know one song that they listen to in PE and I intend to keep it that way.
I love how honest she is about the helping. Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to your sweet Anna.
I find 8 to be a hard birthday. They really do go from little kid to big kid. My youngest will be 8 this year and I get all misty eyed just thinking about it.
What a great post! The opening – you’re hilarious. The interview – so adorable and says so much about this quirky, sweet, and lovable girl. The pictures – omigosh! Beyond incredible!
And what did happen in the last few days? Where’d little Anna go?
Happy Birthday to a wonderful girl and Happy Special Day to her amazing mom.
Wow, I remember when you blogged about “Ariel” when she was 4. She is so beautiful. Happy Birthday!
I honestly can’t believe how grown she is. I hope she has the best birthday ever.
She’s beautiful and yes, 8 was hard for me when my middle girl hit that milestone a couple months ago. Just wait until she’s *10* and then you’ll really die a little. *sigh* They grow up too fast.
Oh GAH! That killed me. My son turns 8 this summer and I am not sure how at all I am gonna handle it.
Love the interview! Happy Birthday to Anna!
What a great interview, I just love them. And those pictures of her are just amazing, she really looks so old in them. yikes! She looks beautiful. Anna, we hope you have the best birthday in the world!!! Happy Birthday!!!
I sort of like this interview. No wait… I LOVE it!
Happy, happy birthday, Anna! You are a beautiful girl, inside and out!
happy birthday to your sweet gal!
we have a jan. 25th bday here!! she turned 6! i remember her BIRTHday like it was yesterday!
I wish I had done interviews with mine. Such a great idea!
Happy Birthday to Anna.
(And just wait… it gets worse. Soon she’ll be *10*!
)
Happy Birthday Anna! Your interview was cute.
Oh my gosh, I can’t believe how cute and sweet she is. Must have been that preschool she went to. Happy Happy Birthday Anna!! I hope you are having a great day.
Beth, my daughter had her little boy today… Ryan William…born at 7:46 this morning …weighing in at 7lb 3oz….19 1/2 in. long…
Paula in Tennessee
happy birthday anna! such a pretty girl, just like her mama.
Sarah-Anne
She is absolutely delightful! Happy Birthday Anna!!
Happy Birthday Anna!
Wow, she really did get older fast!
Happy birthday! My oldest will be six next month. My heart hurts.
Whoa! She looks like a big kid now! That’s what I have to look forward to in June (my little girl will be 8!)
Great interview!
What a beauty! I love these photos of her. And gosh, I didn’t realize your two older children are so close in age and birthday too. Wow! You are a truly amazing woman Beth.
So sweet!
I love your birthday interviews. I hope she holds on to that confidence in her teenage years. Oh, and she’s so pretty!
Happy Birthday Anna!
Those almost teen years happen so fast. What a beautiful girl.
What a sweetheart! Happy Birthday Anna!
“no because i sound really good” is my favorite part… she’s awesome. happy birthday anna!
Good Glory, she’s beautiful!
Happy Birthday, Anna! I hope you got the mustard out of your teeth!
Oh my goodness, she is a big girl. WOAH. Kinda the same way I feel about my oldest. Happy Birthday to your beautiful Anna!!!
Oh my gosh, she’s so cute! Don’t worry, 8 is still young, it’s 13 (TEEN) that you’ll probably feel old over. Or I remember super excited when I turned 10, double digits, wow! haha! Anyways, happy birthday to Anna and happy special day for you little mama!
So adorable! Makes me wonder what my Anna will say at 8 years old! This year, she’s turning 3… I love the fact that you interviewed your daughter! Gives me an idea to do this with mine every year-thanks!
She does look so much older than eight. Stop that! Oh, but I love it just the same. Look at what you created!
Steph
Happy Birthday, Anna! Great pics, Beth. She’s a beautiful little girl. She sure does look grown up.
This is such a beautiful post! And funny. I love it. My little girl is about to turn 3 … but I know 8 is just around the corner.
Happy Birthday to Anna!
Your daughter is so pretty. She could def be a model
Did she get a new haircut lately? I think that is what makes her look older. My daughter is almost 7.5 turning on 15 and driving me crazy. lol
Happy Birthday to mini Beth , I mean Anna
Beth, I love this interview on the birthday thing! I’ve picked up some wonderful ideas over the years for creating memories with my daughter, for my daughter. Her birthday is in March, and I’m going to start interviewing her. Such a fabulous idea! Thank you
Awww. SO sweet!!