We have spent the last two weeks traveling around Germany and the Netherlands, and I kept looking around having a hard time believing that the tiny baby I held for the first time 10 years ago, is now a poised mature big kid going on adventures and world traveling.
It's hard to grasp how much time changes, from those diaper and toddler years, to these adventure years, yknow? I'm not mad about it, but it also makes me nostalgic and missing the baby years, even though I don't actually miss them miss them, and wouldn't actually trade them for what we have now.
But, yeah. Ten years old. That was fast.
We are jet-lagged and travel weary, and my feelings are ajumble and hard to articulate, but here's a glimpse of Anneliese at ten.
She's (usually) reserved, except when she's being silly or photobombing. She remains a daydreamer and a big-picture dreamer. She is observant, and notices and remembers things that sometimes surprise me for her age. She is kind, she is remarkably patient, and she loves feeling helpful. She's very sensitive, which comes with a handful of "drama" sometimes (for lack of a better word), but she's also resilient when she needs to be, and handles herself better than many kids when it comes to new or unknown things. She's sometimes nervous to try something she's uncertain about (like anyone), but then... she tries anyway. In some ways I find that even braver than being a brazen fearless daredevil, if that makes sense.
She loves sleep, spaghetti, rainbows, pretty pens and paper, being tall, playing her violin, reading, long showers, fun shoes, slime, Harry Potter (she wants me to say she's a clever and creative Ravenclaw), swimming, kicking the soccer ball or trampolining outside, audiobooks, roller-skating, Starbucks, boogie-boarding at the beach, babies (especially her cousins), crafting, singing, cute bags and pouches, warm soft blankets, water slides and roller coasters, running errands (yes really), and baking/cooking projects. She also adores her siblings but not on days when they drive her bonkers, she says. :)
She hates most potatoes, being rushed, and getting up early. She stresses and worries about sickness and not being able to be successful at things (both are mostly unfounded in her case, but anxiousness is anxiousness amirite). She only likes snuggling when it involves being near you but notsomuch touching you, except in the case of back scratching, which she, like her siblings, will always happily
She hovers on the line between liking and only-tolerating school, but is a pretty dang good student. Not quick, but thoughtful and accurate and patient. Plus, her friends are there, and so is orchestra, as well as her art and drama clubs. (She is much too giggly to ever be a theater star, her feigned anger and seriousness is laughably... not that; but she does love to try.)
We are so proud to know her and love her, and lucky to raise her, and we thank God for her every day. Happy birthday, baby Beanie. Ten years old!!!
Some memories of this 10th year with Anneliese:
Videos from past birthdays:
9th year
8th year
7th year
6th year
5th year
4th year
3rd year
2nd year
1st year