Not So Little Anymore

This has been a big year for my precious baby girl, Elizabeth. Oh wait, did I call her baby?? She is far from being a baby! Not long after she was born I nicknamed her my Little Baby Bird later to become, Birdie, Elizabird, Birdie Roo and Sugar Bear Baby. ( I know, kind of over the top, but that is what I do.... Someone is close if I have dubbed them with a nickname!) Elizabeth Carolyn Riley was born, October 29, 1997. After being in labor for 19 1/2 hours and pushing for 2 1/2, suctioned and forcepped, she was healthy and strong! Our first baby. I dubbed her my Little Baby Bird because of her pattern at nursing time. I would just barely lean her back and getting her into position and that little mouth would be wide open like a real little bird. I look back at these precious photos and ask myself, "is she really 11 1/2?" Time flies by! I think about those precious first noises, first steps, words, and I thank God he has blessed me with this sweet little girl. She went through puberty this year. Her feet are bigger than mine and she wears women's sized clothes! She gets her height from Grandpa Risser and her flipper flat feet! Today, I dropped her off at camp for the first time. This will be her first time away from parents and/or grandparents for more than a few nights. I know she will be okay. I know she will make friends and I know God holds her in the palm of his hand. It doesn't take away the bittersweet emotions in realizing that she is not so little anymore!
Here are a few taken this past weekend.

I am 5'3" Birdie isn't that far behind me!

Elizabeth's foot is on the left and that's mine on the right.
I wear a 7 1/2. Elizabeth wears at least an 8!



I love my Birdie!!