Birthdays: she's getting older!

Today is StringBean's 10th birthday ... and she is becoming quite a little lady.  Curling her hair

or wearing it up in a bun

she is becoming quite the little lady and a far cry from previous years:

at 1

at 2 (and yes, I did knit this outfit and since we were in Austria ... it was PERFECT!)

at 3

at 6

at 2 months+ 6 days before 8

at 9!

Proof of her big-girlness is in the gifts she wanted this year.  Rather than a doll, or a toy, or a Wii game like Daring Game for Girls (which I would have LOVED at this age), she opted for a day spent with moi antiquing and eating lunch. 

We were SO excited to find the perfect piece for her room:

This 30s-40s style vanity is walnut-veneered with cubby-hole drawers!  It is so cool and she fell in love with it as soon as she saw it.  The really cool thing is the cloth in the center (just below the mirror) -- this is one of the hand-embroidered pieces Nanna sent StringBean.  StringBean's great-grandma did the embroidery!  It is gorgeous. 

The lamps on either side of the mirror carry out the old-style theme -- they were given to my parents 55 years ago for their wedding.  The lamps look so pretty lit --

Both top and bottom globes have bulbs, so if you want a night-light, you just light the bottom globe.  Beautiful!

To further this grown-up theme, StringBean's brother (now 11 and getting old himself), took her for a "date" to Subway for lunch.   N&P sent her a REAL sewing machine and even my sister, sensing StringBean's growing-up-ness, sent her a VERY special 10th bday present ... which we need to frame with Anne's note.

But, no matter how old you get, nothing can stop the joy of blowing out the candles on your very own chocolate-covered angel food cake with candles that equal 10 (7+1+1+1) ... which you have to eat all up since it's Lent:

God bless, you StringBean -- on this day and all year! 

You are a true joy and blessing to us all ... and we love you very, very much!