Dahlia turns it up to 13

This year was bound to be a watershed year for Dahlia wherever we spent it.  She turned thirteen in April and was heading into 8th grade, so she was naturally going to continue her lovely journey into the teen years and young adulthood whether in the U.S. or Europe.

It does tend to stand out a little more here, because her school and the general setting are so different.  Dahlia is a very prepossessed young woman.  She works hard at the things she does.  It is important to her that she make a good impression.  She dresses for success.  She likes to quote life-affirming aphorisms.  She has told me multiple times that "the glass is not half full, it's totally full if you count the air and the liquid!"  She is the oldest cousin on both sides of our family and she is the oldest among her neighborhood peer group, so she has always led every game and handled every group social activity.  Dahlia is a type A, first born kid all the way, and she has doubled down on all of that here in her new life and small, international school.  She is super American, blond, sharp-witted, and pretty among her peers.  Here's her first day outfit if you doubt my opinion on the matter:

She's gotten super into tea, making iced or hot tea every morning for herself to bring to school (usually no caffeine or low caffeine green tea).  She's gotten super into hair bows.  She's gotten super into pictures where she looks coquettish.

 

Sometimes it can all be a little much for Georgia to handle.

Overall it has been such a pleasure to watch her blossom.  When the girls were little I loved to see glimpses of the women they would someday become.  Now that they are getting older I no longer see glimpses, I can see full grown women quite clearly on the horizon, and as of yet we're very. very grateful for what we have.