The funny thing about aging to me is that so much of it seems to go on around me, but rarely do I feel it internally. How are any of us different from the five year olds who loved cherry Icees or the 16-year-olds who would go to the local Chinese restaurant twice a week (if not twice a day some days) with friend?

Well, considering I still enjoy a good Cherry Snow from Target’s Food Avenue while I shop and New China is still the dinner spot of choice when catching up with long lost locker buddies, it is probably accurate to feel that not much has changed inside. But we are clearly not the kiddos we were years ago, especially since many of us have kiddos of our own.

I have known Danielle for literally ever. I can’t say when I first met her, but I know it was when we were really young. Her grandmother lived on the street over from me, so whenever she visited she became one of the neighborhood kids. Our paths crossed in the schoolyard somewhere in middle and high school when we became pretty close. I remember jamming to Eminem in her basement bedroom (the original Slim Shady LP, on CD…the OG Eminmen, if you will). After high school, we went our own ways, but were both local so we got to have the occasional smile in the aisle of the store or a quick wave across the road.

We had an excuse to catch up this past Sunday to celebrate her newest little adventure, Joyce. Named after lovely ladies on both sides of the family, this 17-day-old took in everything her big blue eyes could examine (including the camera, which she followed as we moved around, snapping her cuteness).

See that cuteness for yourself…

Kayla Lee is a Grand Rapids, Minnesota-based lifestyle and on-location photographer who specializes in light and airy photography for seniors and weddings. She serves all of Minnesota, including Bemidji, Duluth, Minneapolis, St. Paul, and St. Cloud.