Adrienne turned
9 on the first of August. I can't remember everything she got for her birthday but it looks like she was very excited to get these books. She had her last violin lesson that day and said it was her best one yet. We had pancakes and French toast for dinner, opened presents and generally had a nice night.
Adrienne was our very first baby and we were beyond excited to meet her.
The doctor told me she would probably be a week late because she was so small.
She ended up coming a week early at a healthy 5lbs 10oz.
Adri was a tiny baby for a good long while. In fact, due to losing some weight from being sick, she weighed a mere 16lbs when she was one year old.
Adri never spit up, unlike ALL of her siblings, and was a very easy baby. She could fall asleep anywhere, which I attributed to her just being a baby and babies like to sleep. Yeah, I didn't know a lot about babies back then.
While she was very good for her parents Adrienne HATED everyone else. Okay, not everyone, but mostly everyone. My mom lived with us for a few months and Adri loved her to pieces.
She also went to stay with her aunt Loni when I went back to work.
She was pretty good there but very aware when it was time to leave.
Adri taught herself to swim but has never been able to go under the water without plugging her nose. That is why she always looks ridiculous when she swims; she wears goggles and a goofy nose plug.
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| This little outfit was my very favorite. Those little shoes were so squishy and she wore them all the time. |
One of Adri's favorite things has always been arts and crafting. Every time I see her pull out the scissors I know I'm in trouble. She will leave a scattering of tiny pieces of paper all over the floor after making her creations. She usually ends up with something very cliva' (if you don't understand this word, please see my previous post).
Adri has never been jealous of any of our babies. She was always very excited to be a big sister. She loved helping with all her siblings and has become very adept at bossing them around.
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| Adri and baby Juliet |
Ever since we bought our first Cinderella dress Adrienne has loved to play dress up. I remember when she was about two and a half she would refuse to wear normal clothes and only wanted to wear dress ups. This would not have been a problem except that it was winter and VERY cold. We often argued until I could convince her to wear pants and a sweater underneath her dress ups. This extended to bedtime when she would wear warm pajamas to bed with a fancy nightgown over top.
Our only child to have a significant birth mark, Adri bears a small, dark spot just under her mouth. It is usually mistaken for a smudge of chocolate that her parents have forgotten to scrub off.
Adrienne is my only child who gets cold sores. I'm afraid I passed this lovely trait on to her and we have to be careful during the summer or she will end up with several of them at one time.
Notice the healing sores under her lip and nose.
Her middle name should have been Sassafrass because, man alive, this girl can be a sass. She is very stubborn and will only do a thing if she wants to, even if her mom won't let her in the house until her task is completed. She once stayed outside for about 45 minutes because I wouldn't let her inside until she had picked up her cup off the ground and put it in the kitchen sink. She even tried to bargain with me so she would only have to bring it to the door.
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| Adri and baby Luke |
Adri has always loved to dance. She is the only one of our children that has ever been enrolled in an official dance class but we weren't very interested in continuing. Mostly Adri likes freestyle. Jason loves to turn on music and then secretly video Adri getting her groove on. She especially loves watching her reflection while she's busting her moves.
Maybe it's because I have trained her from a young age but Adri has always been a very good photographic model. Unfortunately for her, most of her life was during my period of less than sub par photographic skills. She has also been a very patient daughter for me as
I learned how to do pig tails and French braids.
Adri LOVES to sing. She does most of her singing where only our family can hear but every once in a while she'll really let loose, like at the school talent show this year. She will often make up songs and sing them to herself, which makes for a fantastic secret video taping opportunity.
This picture is of a very determined kindergartener. She didn't have any fear about getting on that bus all by herself without knowing a single person at her new school. Adri has never had any trouble in class. She is often described as a perfect student (probably because she leaves her sass
at home). She is quick and efficient with her assignments, she always remembers her homework and likes to help other students who are behind. She is polite in class and makes friends easily. Jason and I both love attending parent teacher conferences because Adri gets nothing but compliments.
Dinner time can be the worst for me because most of my kids are so fussy about what they will eat. Adrienne will try anything I put in front of her and most days is excited when she hears what is for dinner. It's always nice to have at least one kid on your side.
Adri loves to read. When the weather is warm she will sit out on the lawn to read for a while after she gets off the bus instead of coming inside for a snack.
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| Adri and baby Charlotte |
Adri prides herself on losing her teeth on special days of the year.
She lost her first tooth on Christmas Eve and her second one on MLK Jr. Day.
When last I checked Adri wanted to be a feelings doctor (therapist) when she grows up.
Adrienne is a carnivore. I asked her what her favorite food is and she said "Any kind of meat!" It's true that Adri loves a good steak and will eat most anything with chicken in it but, besides bacon and crab, I'm pretty sure those are the only meats she has tried.
I love that she is not afraid to make goofy faces for the camera. Sometimes smiles are just boring.
Adri is a tiny thing and always has been. I still have to sew in the waist
of nearly every pair of pants she owns so they won't fall off.
So far Adri is our only child to take up a second instrument. She currently plays the piano and violin.
Adrienne is brave, intelligent, creative and kind, and now she's NINE!
Happy birthday Adrienne!
