Chicklet's 12th Birthday!

Okay, peeps.

It was a doozy of a weekend. 

Chicklet's 12th birthday weekend, to be exact!

We had ups, downs, and so much running around! Beyond regularly-scheduled events for Little Man and Chica, we catered to the Queen Bee's Birthday demands, including, but not limited to:

Decorations...

Presents...

A mini Yes Day...

A friend sleeping over...

And...a ZOO excursion!

So on brand, for our animal-loving middle born.

Also on brand?

A sign I noticed at the reptile house that read: 

Covered with sharp, pointy horns and tough armor-like scales, this little lizard is very well protected from its enemies.

And I thought: how applicable to both lizards--and twelve-year-old girls.

(If you know, you know.)

This age is no picnic, and this weekend wasn't either. In fact, our girl was so in her feels (high, low and everywhere in between) that I risked very few pictures.

(Again, if you know, you know.)

Instead, I rejoiced in this overpriced, official Zoo Pic, taken by staff who incurred the wrath (not me!)--and wept with joy when it captured our mercurial tween actually smiling. :)

Chicklet was particularly excited to visit the zoo--our first excursion there since last May--to check out a new gorilla exhibit that's been in the works for some time.

And I gotta say: I thought it was pretty freaking awesome. It's also ginormous, which makes me super happy for said gorillas. They've got lots of room to run and play. :)

I'm grateful for the temperate weather, the calm safe-space, like-minded, longtime buddy who tagged along as Chicklet's plus one, and the ability to end the weekend on a high, after so many roller-coaster vibes.

Twelve is such a tough age--for so many reasons. But mostly, it's an age that's renowned for being one foot in, one foot out of early childhood. 

And age when kiddos are trying to grow up--often because they feel like they need to--while still clinging to some of those beautiful, playful, imaginative tendencies.

I've actually been overjoyed this past week or two, as Chicklet has randomly pulled out some of her stuffed animal friends that have long been put away.

Don't get me wrong: they've never all been put away, but her room has certainly become more streamlined and tween-y in the past year.

So imagine my surprise when I walked into her bedroom last week, to find about a dozen put-away friends back out and placed in playful positions throughout her room.

Honestly...it felt right. And homey. Safe and cozy.

It also seemed right that Chicklet ended her zoo excursion with the purchase of a giant hippo (that she named Jelly Bean), and her friend and siblings all purchase stuffed animals, too. 

It's been wonderful to see that lingering sign that the kid inside is still hanging in there--even when the world tells her to grow up and cast aside such playful things.

I really hope we can keep some of that levity and joy in the tough months and years ahead. We're certainly in the throws of it and Forest Gump-ing our way through (like that immortal box of chocolates; we never know what mood we're going to get).

But we'll keep loving and supporting and celebrating as Chicklet will tolerate--until the days level back out, again. 

Okay, a few more of the few pics I managed. I love how Chicklet is so familiar with this buddy of hers that she never even bothered to get dressed for the afternoon/evening before the sleepover, ha. 

Onward and upward, my girl! It levels out, I promise!

More soon, peeps.

Until then...over and out.