The Birthday Girl

Meet Tamara, my niece (my sis' daughter, her first born) who is turning 11 on this coming Saturday.  She is at 5th Grade Science Camp up in Big Bear right now.  In the photo above she is setting the table for dinner.  She's having a great time up there in the mountains.

I was there when she came into the world.  I got a call from my sis, "Its time" and I drove down to the hospital in Orange County that very early morning and stopped to put a sign on the door of the shop that we would be closed today as my sister was having her baby.  I can't believe it's been 11 years already.  She was the most beautiful newborn baby, really.  She had these rose bud lips and she went to sleep right after all the fussing they did with her.  They wrapped her tightly in a blanket and as she laid there well, she was just sleeping beauty.  I spoke softly to her in a whisper, "Welcome to planet earth, I'm your Auntie Ann and you have great parents".  Then they handed her to my sister after she was all tidied up.  It was amazing to attend her birth as I remember it more vividly than my own children's births, since I was much too busy to notice everything that was going on.

Here she is at her Princess Party (6th birthday).

At the beach with her mom in 2006. 

 

At her dance recital last June, 2009.

Here she is in 2007, with her granny square blanket.  I'm teaching her how to crochet.  She is smart, talented, pretty and I love her oh so much!