december 6th, 2012. 7 years ago today you, my sweet Jolie and Parker, entered into this world.  making me a mom. rocking our world with your tiny presence and really showing me what true love is all about.

SEVEN. I hardly recognized these big girls.     Jolie- you are brave, graceful, independent, oh-so-stubborn, strong-willed, loving, warm, bossy, difficult, easy, and tough as nails all in one. you have excelled tremendously through school and really are smart as a whip.  watching you become so excited to go to school, work on assignments, read, and the adoration you have for your teachers reminds me so much of myself at your age. my teachers were my favorite people in the entire world!

I love that about you. 

you remain my most independent child, but hold so much sentimental value to things close to your heart. you have been this way since you were 8 months old- the first time you met puppy, and that stuffed animal still comes everywhere with you. you gather the tiniest toys and figurines and treat them like your most prized possessions. you are my accessories girl.  lipgloss, purses + bags, shoes, sunglasses, and hair bows are an absolute MUST for any occasion.

I love that about you, too. 

seven is a funny age. sometimes it feels like you are seven going on twenty seven with your sassy attitude and awareness of the world around you. the things you understand and say to me occasionally takes me by so much surprise- the wheels in your head are constantly turning, big girl!  and then, when I am not expecting it, your back to being my little shadow. following me around the house as I straighten up in the evenings or sitting quietly in the bathroom with your little trinkets and things while I get ready for the day. you also have so much love and adoration for your brothers and sisters. you have developed the most natural maternal sense about you, that has most definitely revealed itself just in this last year.

I love that about you, most. 

JoJo, your 7-year-old world is unique, wonderfully beautiful, and so much fun- I never want to leave. I just want time to stop this very second to I can soak in your preciousness and insane beauty for all its worth. pausing just long enough to remember everything tiny thing you say and do because, girlfriend, you are sweet as pie + sharp as nails.  my Parker Jane. there is just something special and different, unpredictable, and a little bit wild about your personality that I’ve never quite been able to put my finger on. you are such an active, restless, adventurous soul. your daddy always jokes that when you and Jo are 25, he will still be mowing Jolie’s lawn and you’ll be the one to mow your own lawn and fix the motor if it breaks down on you 🙂

I love that about you.

your contagious laughter, your dramatic tears, your absolutely amazing personality fill this house with our every day- although there are four others babes to share space with, you are by far a dominant soul.  you are my artist with a love for drawing and coloring- you have a true talent for drawing and creativity. reading is boring to you, math is easy but mundane, but ART. art is your passion. you simply love being outside, riding your bike, spending time with your friends- you are the most social child in this house and you become everyone’s “best friend” in an instant.

I love that about you, too.

you have the biggest, kindest, and most generous heart in the world and how lucky we are to get a portion of your love- you love SO BIG, Parker and I’ve never seen anything like it.  never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined my girl to be capable of so much love, which in turn has allowed you to become the best big sister ever. Baker, Brady, and Baylor are lucky to have you.

I love that about you, most.

Parker, you are fiercely independent and still a total mama’s girl. I love it when you snuggle up to me on the couch, lay your head in my lap or play with my hair while we watch your favorite shows. I love the spontaneous “I love you mommy”s that occur at random moments throughout the day- you have no idea the amount of encouragement that offers, especially on those hard days when I feel like I have failed for the one millionth time. its like you somehow know and can sense that I, or anyone for that matter, is feeling a little down and you do everything you can to build them back up.  every day I think I learn as much from you as you do from me, sweet girl. there is so much about you I wish would never change. I would love to somehow bottle you and that gap tooth smile up and hold on tight forever.  I never want to forget these moments we have had together- and yet change is inevitable because that’s just how life goes.  HAPPIEST BIRTHDAY to our beautiful growing girls. you are both so special to us and we couldn’t imagine what life would be like without you in it. I remain in awe of you, my perfect girls. you’ve shown me the world through a different lens and I’ve never seen a brighter picture than the ones you paint in this life. Parker, you have shown me that dresses + sneakers are a perfect match, and Jolie, that it is totally appropriate to eat goldfish for breakfast.

I cannot wait to see what this seventh year holds for you two :: (more) tooth fairy visits, field trips, fun times with friends to walk through.  either way, I know you’ll approach it with the same spirit, the same joy, and the same silly sense of humor that you’ve excelled in over the last seven years. I can hardly wrap my brain around the fact that it is has been 7 whole years since I became a mom.

I love being your mom so much and I am so very proud of the girls you have become. thinking about your future might be the best thing of all. I am so excited for all the milestones. the changes. the experiences you and your sister will have, both individually and together. I get to guide you through these times as your mom, and I hope you know that it is the greatest gift you could ever give me.

photography by: B Faith Photography

:: outfit details ::

orange dress + yellow dress

brown wedges + fur boots

teddy coat