Della turned 16 earlier this month, and we now officially have a driver! YIKES!!
I can’t believe our little baby Squeaker is now 16 years old, has her driver’s license, is going to be a junior in high school, and is going to start thinking about colleges soon! I will not be able to handle it when she leaves.
Everyone says how time flies, but it really does feel like I’ve known her for 16 years. She’s one of the most amazing, confident, brilliant, beautiful souls I have ever known. Her innate drive and self confidence is something I could only have wished to have at her age. She’s taking 4 AP classes this year, took an AP class as a sophomore last year and got a 5 on that test (i never got 5s!), is already wanting to get a study guide for the ACT that she’ll take in MARCH, and already scored a 32 on her pre-ACT last year. Wow. She’s extraordinarily realistic, though, knowing the insane academic competition at our high school and is striving for placing top 10 in her class, not #1. I will be shocked if she isn’t successful in that.
We spent her actual birthday down at my mom and stepdad’s house because it fell on the tail end of our Canada trip this year, and Ryan surprised us all by taking the train down for it. I knew he’d hate to miss his first baby girl’s sweet 16. She and Lana got their first real mani/pedis with Grandma, we went out to dinner of her choosing at Weber’s Grill near their house, and my mom had them put her name up on the marquee again at the Plush Horse and got a giant ice cream cake for that night. Then we got to celebrate again at home the next day. Hopefully it measured up for the big 1-6!
She’s doing cross country again this fall, will do lacrosse again the spring and will almost undoubtedly make varsity this year after being the offensive player of the year for JV last season, and has been working up the street at a local specialty popsicle company since the spring. She babysits and dog sits for all the neighbors on the block and loves all of it.
Her favorite color is still blue; she loves sushi and Taco Bell, although we did go to Potbelly for her birthday dinner since she wanted to go shopping at the mall afterward so we scaled back the food price tag; her latte-making skills have gotten sharply honed this summer after Ryan bought an espresso machine a few months ago; she loves going to 7 Brew for specialty coffees and refreshers; she loves to read; and she’d probably sleep until noon every day if I’d let her. 😉 She has a great group of girlfriends and hangs out with them whenever possible, and her summer bucket list that she made with one of them is precious.
She remains the best oldest sibling these Rau kids could have ever dreamed of, and when they’re all playing or doing something together, their laughter is the most magical sound I’ve ever heard. The leader of the pack indeed.
Happy 16th birthday, peanut!!! The love and pride we have for you is immeasurable. Keep being you, never change for anyone, and may this be the best year yet. I can’t wait to celebrate you for infinity more years!
Here we go, my fave – photo and post comparisons:
