My little Leo

Her nails are painted a shiny red and her long legs stretch out from under her shorts. She's grown a lot in the last year, both physically and mentally. But freckles still sprinkle her nose, her laugh is infectious and her eyes sparkle when she's amused.

She cares more about her hair these days (thank God), which means she doesn't always just scrape it back into a messy pony tail. Sometimes, she actually applies some mousse, styles it and looks especially beautiful. Or she lets me braid or fashion it in some much neater style.

She's a chatterbox. She likes staying up late. She loves her books. She's also turning into an amazing horsewoman (horsegirl?).

It's an amazing process watching a child grow up. My son is turning into a man before my eyes (deep voice, acne) and he's taller than me. My daughter, with her strong personality and beautiful smile is well on the road to becoming a young lady. They challenge me and make me proud.

Today my baby turns 9 years old. Right before our eyes, our little girl is growing up.

Happy birthday, Tara.

Mom (Tina)