Happy 11th Claire!

Today this girl turns 11. 

She remarked to me yesterday that her age no longer fits on her hands.  What I think this really means is that she's a big deal.  

As I was looking through photos this morning to choose one for this blog post, I struggled to find one that was of her alone and one that captured her personality.  I chose these two from our trip to Daytona Beach last fall.  

She's an "all in" kind of a personality.  She's not afraid to take charge, and I'm certain that she was managing the building of that sandcastle!  That's why she's in the middle...keeping tabs on the structure, making sure the spacing is correct, building the walls, etc.  

It has been a joy to watch her grow this year.  Little by little she's turning into this little young lady who continually enjoys people and business.  She was able to run a popcorn stand with some other students through a local entrepreneurial program, she ran her own snack station at my sister's garage sale, and she "helped" my mom serve hot dogs at a golf outing station just a couple of weeks ago.  By helped, I was told that she was managing the tent well. :)

Independent, disciplined, problem solver, driven.  She works smarter, not harder and struggles to take no for an answer.

When I asked her what kind of cake she wanted for her birthday this year, she responded, "Well, I'd really like to make my own cake this year."  

If this is what 11 looks like, bring it on. :)  

At 11, she loves board games (Ticket to Ride is her favorite), riding her bike, being with friends, listening to adults discuss anything, swimming, golfing, reading mysteries, and baking.  She doesn't like folding laundry (really, who does?).

  

Happy 11th Birthday, Claire!  Hope you have a wonderful day.  We love being your parents, and we love watching you grow.  We can't wait to see what this year brings!