{happy birthday bailey}

dear bailey-

can you believe it?  can you believe your'e 13?!  i talked to you this morning on the phone.  i sang happy birthday to you.  you were mortified.  but you know what?  too bad!  i love you and i will always sing to you.  even when we're both old and grey.  you told me that you didn't feel any older but that you were excited to be 13.  a teenager!  you also told me that you'll always be my goosey bear.  no matter what.  :)

this year has been challenging.  you know that.  we've had our struggles.  you've had your struggles.  but you know what?  we're working on them together.  and that will never change.  you will always have us here to help you.  i hope you know that.  wanna know something else?  you have the biggest heart of anybody i've ever met.  ever.  your love for you family is just amazing.

let's go grab you your birthday frappuccinno and i'll grab a latte and we can look through some pics?  what do you think?  these start when you're older.  you're old enough that your baby stuff isn't even digital!  maybe you can help me scan them in soon.  i'd like to do that project with you.

there's a lot of them.  are you ready??

this is from may 2007.  this is the first picture in my flickr stream of you.  remember when mommy got her camera and all of a sudden i wanted pics of everything?  lol.  i've tried not to bug you too much.

you used to love pretending to be a pirate. :)

you love swimming in pools.

you're probably gonna kill me for this one but do you remember when you used to actually dance during dance partys?

do you remember when you wanted to learn how to play guitar?

you couldn't be any cuter in this picture.

you've actually been this costume a few times. hahaha.

this picture was in chloe's bday post too. you guys used to be the best of friends. you still are but now that you're both in school all the time, it's different. just wait until you're grown up, you guys will be bffs again and gang up on the littler kids!

you were 8 here. :)

do you remember when you wanted to be a rock star???!

you make great silly faces!

my poor baby boy. big hugs!

you have the best hair!

so handsome!

i love this picture of you. it's kind of sad looking, but it's you. you have such a gentle soul and i feel like you can see it in this picture. :)

in the comments on this pic on flickr it said that you told me that you wanted to grow your hair long, get contacts and wear a doo rag like axel rose. lol.

i went to ny with work and i had to take this picture for you cause you loved ozzy so much!

you finally let us cut your hair. you bribed us though. we had to get you a wrestler and a new wrestling ring.

remember when we used to all squish in auntie jen's car?

you have the same smile...always.

this was your ninth birthday!

do you remember when you wanted to go out and do a photoshoot with your guitar?

i love this one. you look so handsome and all the blues and greens are just perfect. :)

this was halloween of 2008.

you truly are a great big brother! :)

you hair got long again.....

you are always up for some fitting room fun. :)

you holding izz for the first time.

rocking the guitar hero!

you are eleven here. :)

hahahahaha you look thrilled!

remember our trip to NH? you loved it!

you and chloe on the top of mt. washington.  remember how afraid you and i were on the drive up?

lisa is taller than you.  but you're taller than the elf.  

you and lisa at NNO.  :)

first day of school!

you are the best fort builder!

i love that you enjoy reading so much.

hahahaha!

homework. you're not a fan. ;)  

but lisa helps you with it. she has a lot of patience. :)

cupcake charlies!  yummmmm!

you're 12!

this was at lisa's store the night it opened.

i can't wait for more summer lunches!

first day of seventh grade!

you help out in the kids room with minimal complaints. {most of the time{

every once in a while you bring the old tech decks out....

you're a dweeb.

but you're my dweeb. :)

did i mention how much of a great big brother you are?

you made your first basket this year!

you love helping cook. you ask to help all the time.

you are perfect. my perfect boy. happy birthday to you. you make me a very happy mommy and i hope i make you a very happy goosey bear.