She's a queen in my book

It's carnival week, which means pageants.
And my beautiful "niece," was in the junior miss. Although she did not place, Tay did a great job and was very gracious to her classmates who were on the court.
Here she is strutting her stuff (I picked her outfit!)

And a picture of the two of us. I think we could be blood related?

Tay will be 15 in January -- at which point J and I will have been together for seven years (HOLY CRAP!!!) Obv I didn't meet Tay and her sister right off the bat, but I've gotten extremely close with them over the past six years, and I am so proud of the woman she's grown up to be!

--- On another note: I had to attend the Little Miss and Mister pageant on Wednesday for work reasons. Seriously? Who puts their 4-6 year old in two-inch heels? Or in makeup? INSANE! When I have a little girl, she will be in pageants if she wants, but that won't be allowed, nor will she have a freaking prom dress. Let children be children! There is plenty of time for the pageant dresses later in life!