My youngest is 17!

Happy birthday to my youngest, Ellie! My baby is 17 today. How did that happen? It doesn't seem that long since she was born. Time really does fly when you're having fun. What can I say about Ellie over the past year? There is a lot that I can't and won't say but this year has seen her learn a lot of valuable lessons, grow as a person and become more confident.

This time last year I was worrying about her starting college but she well and truly smashed the year and it turns out my biggest worries were indeed nothing to worry about. She managed to get the bus most days without any issues, the only time they became and issue was when the buses didn't turn up at college but Ellie just got on with things and always made it home, eventually. She made plenty of new friends, some I wasn't too keen on but she has learned from her friendship choices and I have been there to guide her through the difficult times. She has learned a lot through being at college: That drinking iced coffee on an empty stomach ends up with vomiting, sitting in the canteen at lunchtime is not relaxing, revision really does pay off and scary teachers are not that scary at all.

At the start of the year she decided that she didn't want her hearing aids. She went 16 years being deaf in one ear so hearing all of the extra noise was just too much for her brain to deal with. I was dreading taking her to the hospital but they were great and were so supportive of her choice. She always has the option of getting them back in the future if she wants to.

Ellie has turned into such a girly girl, she loves her make up, jewellery and clothes. She always has a wish list of things saved just on the off chance that I ask if she needs any new clothes. She is the queen of crop tops which I detest but they are her thing and will wear them in all weathers. What surprised me most about Ellie is that she started to wear a jacket when it was cold out, I suppose it was either that or get hyperthermia with the tiny tops. lol She loves nothing more than doing her nails but now she has to wait until the college holidays because trying to wire things in practical lessons or use tools is just impossible with long nails.

Ellie has had some fun times with her grandad. He was building a couple of sheds, those needed electrics put in and he has had Ellie at his quite a few times helping out. They are so funny together, he will never admit that he is going deaf and Ellie speaks so quietly he struggles to hear her and she is deaf in one ear which he remembers so he ends up shouting. They look so comical together from a distance.

Ellie is great fun to go shopping with. She will spend hours looking around shops and we have had some great trips out over the past year. Our best are always to Hull where we will shop for a bit, get something to eat, shop a bit more, get a drink and sit and just people watch. She has shown me plenty of new shops recently, she has found a fab thrift shop in Hull and a Crystal shop where she always wants to spend all of my money.

What has really made me smile over the last year to do with Ellie is that she got into watching Grey's Anatomy! She has watched it from start to finish and loves it! Bailey is her favourite although she did love Christina, Arizona and Mark Sloan! It has given us plenty to talk about and I did so well not spoiling any of it for her. She is now watching Station 19 and will move onto Private Practice, the one with Addison in after. By then the new season of Grey's Anatomy should have started.

So today is Ellie's birthday and we have no plans at all, well apart from an appointment that she has been waiting for. I am sure later there will be some nice food, of course some cake and soon the driving lessons will start! Eek! How is my baby old enough to drive a car?