Almost a Teenager!!

Lexi,

You have grown not just into a beautiful, intelligent,
and talented young lady but also into one of my dearest friends.
What an amazing gift your friendship is!

At twelve, you have all the markings of an almost-teenager.
You can always be found with your phone in hand, 

you have a great sense of style, 

taking more time than your daddy can understand 
when it comes to your skin care, hair and wardrobe routines. 
You are into all the latest trends (even informing me that "mom jeans"
and ripped jeans are actually a cool thing for 6th graders).
You are already more skilled than me at applying makeup,
you love any opportunity to get a gel manicure, 

and you've taken full charge of styling your hair. 

At 12, you remain a straight A student - 

tackling your challenging work load
with relative ease and grace. 

You have a kind, fun and spunky group of friends and are 
always plotting which house to have a sleepover at 

(during which you barely sleep).
Volleyball is the sport you're most passionate about, 

and we love to watch your progress
and your team's success on the court. 

You still love rollerblading, baking and creating. 

You are happiest outdoors 

and crave fresh air and activity. 
You find organizing things to be calming and relaxing 

(which is wonderful for us!)
You have a great eye for style and decor - 

at the current moment you have plans to 
own your own interior design business.

Holidays and birthdays have always been 

very exciting for you, 

and you're not too grown up to still show your love for them. 

Watching you thoughtfully plot Harry the elf's latest adventures 

for your little sister at Christmas-time makes us so very happy. 

You love the beach and spend hours in the summer 

skim boarding at the water's edge. 
Monopoly and Sequence are your favorite board games to play, 

though you enjoy anything that challenges your mind 

like crossword puzzles and uno. 

The book in your hand has been temporarily replaced by Tik Tok videos, 

though I'm hoping that years' long passion for reading 

will always remain with you. 

You are very strong willed 

and have a plan for exactly how things should unfold. 

This is both wonderful and frustrating - 

but you're working hard to be a bit more adaptable, 

a little more go-with-the-flow. 

You are a loyal friend, a great secret keeper, 

a curious mind, a determined spirit and a confident girl. 

I love that you are both left and right brained 

and equally as happy creating a new dessert 

or making a Christmas ornament for your grandparent's from scratch 

as you are solving a hard math problem 

or organizing your sister's desk drawers. 

You are learning about the Renaissance in school - 

but to us you've always been a bit of a Renaissance child - 

interested and talented in many different areas. 

We love you so very much 

and can't wait to see what lies ahead for you. 

Favorites:

Color: Blue

Season: Fall

Book: Hunger Games

Number: 3

Holiday: Christmas

Food: Spaghetti and meatballs

Dessert: Ice cream

Animal: Elephant

Song: Driver's License

Subject at School: Social Studies and Math

Place you'd love to visit: Hawaii and Italy