13 Thursday #4 Bethany

She thinks she is so cool!

13 Her name is Bethany Corin Kirkland. Her parents are Chris andEcho Kirkland. She was born on August 14, 2001.

12 We could not agree on a name for our beautiful baby girl. Thenone day I told Chris that I really like the name Beth and he said heliked Bethany. We never agreed on a middle name. I was in labor in thehospital and we still didn't have a middle name. Chris really wantedJade. I didn't want Jade. Laura was the one who came up with Corin.Chris hates Corin. However, I liked it. So, he wasn't there when theyasked so I said Bethany Corin Kirkand.

11 Bethany is in her third year of dance at The Jessica DomineySchool of Dance. She takes Tap, Jazz, and Ballet. She loves dance class.

This is Bethany trying to be Hannah Montana

10 Bethany loves to sing. She will sing with the radio or without.When she doesn't know the words she makes them up. One time I got pulledover and given a ticket because Bethany unbuckled her seat belt, put thewindow down, hung her head out the window, and was singing songs toUncle Jimmy and Jesus in heaven. When she sings she had these reallyserious facial expressions.

How can you be upset with this face?

9 She really loves herself. I don't mean in a bad way. But stillshe really loves to look, and watch herself in the mirror. We have agiant mirror in the living room and she will come in and start talkingto you and all of sudden you realize she is still talking to you but sheis watching herself in the giant mirror. One day she was sitting in themiddle of the living room floor, she looks up and says 'Bethany CorinKirkland is a really great name'. I said well I'm glad you think so.

8 She loves the water. When we go to the ocean she says 'Mamawatch me do my dolphin jumps'. When she wants to take a bath by herselfshe will say 'Mama I am going to take a relaxation bath.' No I have noidea where she comes up with this stuff.

7 She is an offical pack rat. She tries to keep everything. Thisis a picture of Bethany and Kelsea's room at it's worst. I have justrefused to go in and save this room. However, I do believe that I must.I just cannot stand to walk by one more time and look at it this way.

6 Lynsey spoils Bethany. Lynsey gives her whatever she wants.Bethany sleeps in Lynsey's bed everynight with any stuff animals shewants. Lynsey really enjoys mothering Bethany. They love the samethings: pink, tinker bell, clothes, make up, you know all things girlie.

Bethany and Lynsey on the bus at Disney.

5 Bethany's relationship with Kelsea is different. When Lynsey'saround Kelsea doesn't like Bethany. However, when it is just Kelsea andBethany they bring out the best in each other. Bethany is veryindependent when she is with Kelsea. So when they are together they aremore like friends. I took the two of them shopping recently together andit was the best experience I have had in a long time with each of them.They were complimenting each other and they laughing. I rememberthinking this is how it should always be. They really need some alonetime together more often.

4 Bethany has a love hate relationship with her brothers. Shelikes them when they are doing whatever she says, and hates them whenthey aren't doing what she says. Christopher used to follow her aroundand do what she says but ever since Noah got old enough to follow him hedecided being the leader was better.

Salt Springs, Fl after the rain on the basketball court.

3 Bethany loves to go to Aunt Amanda. She is the same age asJonathon and they are close. They tell each other secrets. Jackson andMadi treat her like a leader so she loves that, and Emma Mae wellBethany wants her to look at her and say MaMa. When Emma Mae was bornBethany really believed that she was named after her favorite stuffedbunny she carried everywhere. Bethany was just the right age to hold ababy when Emma Mae was born, and Aunt Amanda would let her rock her, andsing to her.

2 Bethany gets to stay with her Aunt Harmony for two weeks in thesummer. She loves to spend this time with MaKayla Jade. Although the twoof them live 800 miles apart, and only see each other twice a year theyact so much alike it is scary.

Bethany and McKalya at Aunt Harmony's in Pennsylvania.

1 Bethany is a big Mama girl. She always has been and always willbe. She is exactly like me when I was her age. She always likes to knowwhere I am and what I am doing. She is always so glad to see me, and shealways tells me everything that is going on.