Being 8 is G-R-E-A-T

Why does it make me sad when another child reaches a BIG milestone? 

I realize that half of my daily parenting is done with this one.  I only have 8 more years to teach and inspire.  Or yell and threaten..depends on the day. 

But it does make me sad. I see the young lady that has

blossomed overnight. 

She went from this...to that above...so fast. 

I think I love her ear to ear smile, whitty and mostly comical personality, her creativy, her sensitivity towards her sisters, her tender heart, her desire to march to her own beat, and her ability to make me laugh and smile.

We had formal pictures snapped a few weeks before from the lovely Lindsey Hale. Reagan had been begging me to get her haircut short months before...but NO Mama wanted long flowing hair for her formal pics. I got my wish. Luckily it was a great Spring Day. You never know around here.

I had to jazz things up a bit and add a little color. That is definitely more Reagan.

A week later, she again asked about getting her hair cut like some star on a Disney show.  I tried to ask her to wait until after her baptism but she threw her hands on her hip and declared

"Is this MY baptism or YOURS". 

Reality Check for this Mama...we headed to the salon the next day. 

We showed the stylist the picture....she put her hair in a pony tail and WHACK...her long pretty locks were gone.  Lots of snips later a sleeker older looking Reagan emerged.

This sleeker look also brought a sassier personality.  She has never looked back. 

So this is what she looked like on THE BIG DAY. 

Of course I have to have camera issues that day.  I was running around like a crazy woman and forgot to check the cameras settings...well needless to say..the whole days worth of events are better captured in memories.  But here is what I could salvage.

That picture makes my heart melt. 

She was blessed to have her lovely Aunt Lauren give the talk on Baptism.  As always that girl is beyond her years of wisdom and testimony. 

Next was the baptism itself.  She was worried her dress would fly up in the water.  And it started to...but a quick acting Reagan quickly saved herself from embarrassment and tucked it between her knees.  One dunk was all it took.  She looked up at her Dad with such utter glee and innoncence. 

Then her Nana gave the talk on the Holy Ghost.  Props and all.  Her father then confirmed her a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and gave her the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

It was a simple and lovely ceremony.

But her luncheon afterwards would be anything such.  

I fretted over every last detail...from her dress and bow...to the table scape setting for the luncheon afterwards...to how to color coordinate all of us to the color theme of the day.
Grey and yellow if you can't tell.

I can thank Anthropologie for my canary and grey number and I can thank 4 different quilt stores for the fabric I used to whip up skirts 3 days before the event. That was a skirt a day. My sewing machine has never seen so much action on a consitant basis. Now only if the gym could say the same. But thats another story.

Thanks to all who came in person or in spirit to help make this a special day.  And I couldn't have done it without these 2 ladies...my Mom and baby sister.  LOVE YA!