Me, I am my kids' teacher

Oh, she is NINE!
NINE.

How could it be? She fills our days with laughter, song, a bit of drama ... and JOY.







She was my date on Saturday for a Quinceañera for a beautiful young friend. We were so honored to be invited to this fantastic tradition. While I took pictures at the Myriad Gardens, Lydia patiently waited by going into "her world." She never whined. Never begged to leave. Never asked to be in the pictures since she also had on a gorgeous dress! Never even complained about her feet in those shoes. And we were there a LONG time. I would snap pictures of her, instead of the party, trying to catch "her." Skipping and twirling. Talking to the trees. Smelling the flowers. Following a butterfly. Dreaming.

She was so content. I think I scored capturing these pictures of her last days of eight.

And then later ... she partied it up like it was 1999 (the year of her birth)! Mexican dancing. Mexican games. Mexican FOOD. (and total language immersion).

One of the activities at a Quinceañera is for the birthday girl, at the ripe old age of 15, to toss a beautiful doll into a waiting crowd of little ones (like a bride tosses a bouquet). She is tossing out her childhood, as she heads toward being an adult.

Wew. We don't have to worry about that yet. Bring on the dolls. Hallelujah for a few more years (hopefully) of blissful childhood.

Today a party for Lydia. Swimming, in the rain. She won't care. But how will we keep the pinata dry?

Posted in: on Monday, August 18, 2008 at at 8:30 AM