She Promised to Stay "Widdle" Forever...

My baby girl is 18 years old today. A real grown-up. The miracle who brings light and joy to my life every. single. day. Is this actually happening? The days are long, but the years really are short.

She arrived on one of the hottest days of the year. The high temperature that day was well into the triple digits. Labor and delivery with this little one were relatively short and uncomplicated even though she was a bigger baby than her older sister. 8lbs. 13oz. 22 inches long

Proud papa!

 

Big sister Hope was so excited

 

Such a happy girl

We settled into a new routine and my darling girl began to grow:

All smiles with her mommy

 

She's a snuggler!

 

Fun at gymnastics

Playing dress-up

 

Meeting Winnie the Pooh at Disneyland

She started school and life got very busy...

Ready for her first day of kindergarten

 

A life-long reader

 



With her brand new birthday bike

 

Soccer games, tee ball, softball, piano recitals, honor choir concerts, dance recitals, school projects, basketball, Kids Kamp...  

 

soccer chick

5th grade recorder concert

"Box out Bri" was her nickname

Volleyball, band concerts, orchestra concerts, JuMP Co. shows, school dances...

 

Freshman year

"Nerd" dress-up day for Homecoming 

Playing the piano with her big sister

 Driver's Ed., birthday parties, AP Classes, National Honor Society, SAT and ACT tests...



Beautiful Cellist

Dream come true!

All ready for the Prom

 

College campus visits, family vacations, senior pictures, and graduation.

 

She's gonna be a Bengal just like her mom, dad, and big sister

 

Beautiful inside and out

 

The lovely graduate

As a little girl, when Brianna was growing and learning new things, I would often tell her that she was becoming such a "big girl." She would immediately say, "I'm not a big girl. I'm just widdle and I'm going to stay widdle forever!" Birthdays were full of mixed emotions. She loved the party and presents, but she would assure me that she was "just widdle." Even though she is all grown up now, that "widdle" girl will live on in both of our hearts forever.

Welcome to adulthood, my sweet Brianna!