Today is Audrey’s 9th birthday.
I started blogging 10 years ago right before getting pregnant with our sweet girl. I was a stationery designer who worked very part-time from home while raising my three adorable little boys. Blogging was new-ish and not only did it seem fun, but it was a natural fit for me who liked writing and sharing about life and connecting with other women who enjoyed similar things.
Many of you have been here from the start and you remember when our baby girl was just a newborn. I decorated her nursery, brought her along to my summer boutique sale, made headbands and flowers and girly things for her and shared it all on the blog.
I get so nostalgic when I think about those early days of blogging and mothering and figuring out who I was in the midst of both.
I have always said that having Audrey gave me this creative spark that I needed and I truly owe so much of my own growth and inspiration to her. When I think about who I want to be as a woman, I often think about how I want my little girl to see me. What am I telling her about what it means to be feminine? What it means to be a woman, wife, mother, business owner, creative, friend, sister? I think about how I want her to grow up knowing she is loved, delighted in, perfectly wonderful just as she is. And I know that a very big part of that will be how she sees me doing and being these things.
We certainly share many characteristics, but she has a personality all of her own. I LOVE THIS ABOUT HER. I love that she has confidence and spunkiness and is also sweet and thoughtful. She writes us notes and makes us laugh, keeps up with the boys and will always choose being with people over being by herself. She has carved out a space of her own amidst her three big brothers and is a delight to us all.
I sat down with her this morning to ask a few questions and celebrate the girl she is today, at nine years old (well, after 6:45 pm, that is).
(there are some blurry parts in the video due to all the squirminess)
Happy birthday, Audrey girl.
This just melted my heart. You two are so cute!
This is so sweet & precious. You’re a great mom and she seems like a lovely daughter!
Oh Emily, this is such fun! I’m going to do something similar with my granddaughters this year! Not for social media, just for posterity. They are young teenagers and will love looking back at how adorable they were at this age. Thank you for sharing!
What a sweet and sparky daughter! I loved this video clip because it was casual and honest and showed the love between you and her!
What a sweet daughter! I loved this video clip because it was casual and honest and showed the love between you and her!
She is so much like you, even in her mannerisms and hand gestures. You can be very proud of such a sweet girl. Beautiful inside and out!
So sweet. I love the idea of a “birthday interview video.” This will be a treasure when she’s older.
Just precious ! Mother & daughter. Such a special bond
Emily, that was beautiful! This video of you and Aubrey inspired me to write down some questions to ask my oldest daughter, who turns 12 on Saturday. Thank you for helping grow our relationship. You are a true role model!
I’m so glad you were inspired by it! Happy birthday to your sweet girl!
She’s lovely! This is a wonderful video! Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday Audrey, this was such a sweet video. Thanks for sharing.
Happy Birthday Audrey ! That’s a very sweet video you will have forever. You are a lucky girl to have a talented Mom that takes a special interest in making her family such a strong unit.
She is adorable! I love getting to see your kids personalities. They are such mature, lovely people. Mason, you’re up!
Audrey is adorable! Happy Birthday from another February girl.
This was beautiful, and natural, and imperfectly perfect. I could feel the love and pride you have for your daughter radiate through your glances at her. I could sense that you are a good mother through your questions to Audrey and your interest in her answers. How lucky your children are to have you as their mom!
Happy Birthday Audrey! I too am the youngest in my family – I had three older brothers, just like you. I always felt like people expected me to be super athletic and interested in sports – or they expected me to be super spoiled, “the little princess” of my family. I really wasn’t either of those things, and defining who I was as the only girl, with three older brothers always felt like a challenge – I wasn’t sure of my identity, Another thing to keep in mind – all 3 of my brothers met their wives and were married with in a relatively short time span (5 years) starting in my junior year of high school. It was good, yet strange when all these other women came into our family’s life.As conflict occurred, I felt so alone as their bonds grew, but also as they seemed in part founded upon being on the same side of the conflict-..No family is perfect, but I just wanted you, Emily to be aware of some of the challenges Audrey might face down the road. Ultimately, these challenges pushed me to see deepen my trust in God, and his love for me.
This is so helpful! Thank you for sharing some of your experiences. I totally get what you mean about expecting her to be princess or tomboy – I know she is only 9, but that is one thing I like so much about her – she is neither! And she just keeps doing her thing without much worry about where she fits. I will pray for that confidence to remain in the years ahead
Such a lovely and very touching tribute to your little lady. Happy Birthday from one February girl to another!
I so love the kid interviews! Maybe I will interview mine to help me remember the fun people they are RIGHT NOW.
I can’t believe that I was following you, when she was very young! She’s adorable and pretty like her mom. What a sweet video!
Awe this one made me tear up and not because it was sad but because it was so cute. I love this new video interviews with the kids and the music, your questions….it’s awesome. Happy Birthday Audrey Girl. (also love that you call her that)
I can hear the video but the screen is blank. What am I doing wrong? I even went to You Tube and it is the same there!
Sorry for the trouble! It could be an internet issue – just not pulling enough data to show the video?
Of course this is so darling. Love you Audrey!!
I remember when you were pregnant with Audrey and thinking of a name for her and designing her room… I can’t believe that was over nine years ago! Happy birthday, Audrey!
She’s darling! Happy Birthday to your girl! May all her 9 yo wishes come true! xoxo