miss em turns 5

today is my first niece's fifth birthday (did you follow that?)! can you believe that?! emerson is so excited to start kindergarten in a few short weeks; she got in on what i like to refer to as "early admission," like when those really super extra smarty-pant kids get into harvard before harvard is really actually accepting new students. that's right, she's a brainiac. and that's only one reason why i love this little girl--excuse me--BIG girl so so much. (she also loves to read like i do and has the squinty eyes like me too.) so, without further adieu...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EM! WE LOVE YOU!!!

yeah yeah maybe this is last year's birthday picture, but she's just as cute (and tan and blonde) today as she was then.