Happy Birthday, Lil!

Every once in a great while, I get to go shopping for a gift I truly cannot wait to give. My niece, Lil, is one of the coolest people I know, and I got to go shopping for her birthday, which is today.

When we were up visiting for Easter, she plopped down and started eating croutons as a snack. Really? How bizarre is that? So...we made a list of other bizarre things she liked, and I told her I would send them all to her for her birthday. And I did:

Here is the list:

1. Croutons (a favorite snack)


2. Chapstick (She's never without one.)


3. Tropical Sauve Deodorant (I still don't quite get this one, but sometes it's easier not to ask.)


4. Nail polish and nail tattoos (She is a middle school girl after all.)


5. Axe (She loves the smell but doesn't need the boy--love that!)


6. Socks (She loves fun socks, but she never actually wears them in pairs.)


7. A way cool card that talks about how fabulous she is.

And this girl, she really is fabulous. She is in middle school, and in some ways she is such a middle school girl--giggles and nail polish included. But...she is so not the typical middle school girl in so many ways. She truly is her own person, and she's not afraid to march to her own drummer. She is kind, thoughtful, and a great friend. She's insightful, brilliant, and fun to hang out with--a rare combination.

When I met Lil, she was tiny. She was the flower girl in our wedding, and now she's a teenager. She's growing up way too fast, but I can't wait to see the amazing woman she is becoming. I am so grateful to be her aunt. Happy birthday, Lil!