I'm 8 years old today!

She'll always be my baby.

I'm Seven Years Old Today!

Dear Elise,
Your Aunt Erin loves you very very much, but can you please stop this growing up thing? It's giving me the crazies. Thanks.

I Started First Grade Today!

...and Erin is a proud Aunt.

those are her feet heading into the school :) I kinda stalked her...well it was half coincidence, that turned into a stalk :D

Also, from her orientation: Elise's first locker:

I'm 6 Years Old Today!

Elise making her birthday cake.
10/28/11

I'm not sure when it happened, but you went and grew up on me kid.
You are now my silly, smart, curious big girl. No more baby.
I love picking you up from school and listening to you tell me about your day.
I love it when you empty your folder across my back seat and show me all of your worksheets in the rearview.
I love how you happily crow "I GOT GREEN!" because you behaved in class.
I love your strip down to your undies "after school dance".
I love when you ask me questions about how things work, and then I hear you repeating it to your sister later.
I even love the "shades of teenage years to come" exasperated looks you give me when I'm being too silly for your newly refined tastes.
I love that you are kind and sweet and loving.
I love that you are not yet too old to come snuggle with me.
As much as I miss my drooly babygirl, I love seeing you grow up.
You will always be my LiseyPoo though, and yes, I will call you that in front of your boyfriend.
It's my right as your Aunt.
Happy 6th Birthday Elise!

I Started Kindergarten Today!!

Can We Stop The Growing Up Train, Please?

My big sensitive girl Elise:



My silly cuddle bug Lydia:



Sisters: Best Friends,Always

I'm 5 Years Old Today!

Aunt Erin loves her Niece Elise!

Portraits of Aunt Erin

Elise and Lydia drew pictures of me today, and brought them to work.

Elise:



Lydia:


I have no idea what this is, but she assured me that it was very important.


There are three more in my vest at work, So I will have to update this later.

I love my girls <3

...A Thousand Words...

"I'm not 4 until I blow out my candles and make a wish!" (#4)

According to my niece Elise this is how birthdays work. It didn't matter that she turned 4 years old on Friday, she was not truly 4 years old until she had blown out her candles and made a wish on Sunday.
So blow them out she did.
She had a yummy cake that she helped decorate with her mommy and she got to open presents and beat up the Nemo pinata my mom and I had bought for her room a year or two ago. The neighborhood kids who came over especially liked the candy filled pinata bashing, and the playing in the fallen leaves that came afterward.