birthday girl

It's Spencer's 7th Birthday!

My sweet little Spencer is getting SO big. Birthdays are bittersweet. They are so excited for them, but it just means they are that much closer to leaving home :( I love spending time with her so much! She's always been such an easy, fun, precious kid. I am so thankful for Spencer.

The picture above was taken when she was about 2 1/2 (Bo's age now!). We were in Yosemite camping (June 2005). She was such an adorable toddler. She started talking when she was really young, so it was hilarious getting insight into a one-year-old's mind.

Spencer took dance lessons when we moved back to Nashville that fall. It was a disaster. She played with her belly button, so the leotard was tortuous. She hated dance class. The instant she got in the car after every dance class she would rip off her leotard and play with her belly button. She would mainly just sit on the floor and suck her thumb instead of dancing. We stopped after the recital and haven't taken dance since.

Spencer was in the older 2's at St. George's. She had Ms. Jankowski. Spencer really loved going to school like her big sissy. She met two of her best friends in that class, Sarah and Hart.

Owen Shurden was born in April 2006. Spencer has always loved Owen. She looks a little nervous here holding him, but she LOVES babies.

Spencer did dance in the recital in June. We were nervous that she wouldn't actually make it onto the stage, but she did. She was adorable in her costume. The hat (above) was a birthday present the next fall.

We went to Whistler Christmas Day 2006. We put the girls (and their friend Cooper) in ski school. I had to come get Spencer after lunch because she refused to go outside to learn how to ski. She did eventually go outside, and she made it down the bunny slope once or twice. Spencer likes to know she can do something (by observing ) until she will try it.

Spencer loved her Piggy. Daisy used to sleep with her, until we got Spencer a tall bed that Daisy couldn't jump onto.

We went to Ft. Myers for Spring Break. Spencer loves the beach.

Bo was born May 27, 2007! Yay! Spencer loves her baby brother so much! They have the sweetest little relationship. He loves "his Spencer" and "his Scout."

The summer Bo was born I had Sarah babysit the girls a few hours every week. Scout had a couple weeks of summer camp, and so Spencer was alone with Sarah. She was the sweetest babysitter ever, but Spencer had some separation issues with me (because of Bo), and it made it really hard on Sarah! She would do things like sit outside my bedroom while I was napping and refuse to go to the pool with Sarah. She was so great with her though. Little Spencer just takes a while to warm up to people. Sarah still laughs about that.

Spencer got to be Angie's flower girl. She was adorable. We flew to Seattle in September for the wedding. Bo was 3 months, and Karen flew with us to help out.

Spencer started playing soccer when she was 3, and has been playing ever since. She LOVES it!

Spencer on her 5th birthday. She had a party at My Gym with Sarah Joffe.

Another soccer picture

Spencer got to be the Star for the St. George's Christmas Pageant.

Playing in the water fountains in Atlanta. We took a trip down to see R.A. play the Braves in June 2008.

Tucson, Christmas 2008. We hiked up the mountain behind Steve's house, but turned around after about 45 minutes to go home. The girls thought we were really going to climb the whole mountain and threw a fit when we had to turn around. It started snowing the next day.

One of my favorite pictures of the girls.

Spencer played softball this Spring. She and Scout were on the same team and her dad helped coach.

I love her smile!

The girls did a triathlon in August. Spencer hated it. But she finished (crying).