Girls after Grandpa's Heart!

Enough said.

No, I haven't forgotten!

I have thought about posting something everyday but unfortunately, "the thought" is as far as I've gotten. We've had 2 birthday parties, I spent 3 days in Phoenix and lots in between and now I'm out of excuses.

Thank you to all of you that made Maggie's birthday so special. She had so much fun! I hope 7 is lucky for her ... and for us that the 7 going on 14 attitude can take a backseat until she is actually 14. :)

Here are some photos of her birthday!!! Enjoy!

Birthday Party Round 1! And yes, many of these girls did sleep over. Everyone was sound asleep by 11:30 and NO ONE wanted to go home. Whew!

Birthday Party Round 2, at Auntie Kristin and Uncle Rick's house!

Happy 7th Birthday Maggie!

I remember the moment I first saw you like it just happened. And the way it felt to hold you in my arms for the first time ... and every time since. I loved the way you kicked your tiny feet out of your blankets every time someone would try to wrap you up and the way it sounded when you would let out a newborn cry. I know what it's like to see you grow, watch you go from a helpless baby to a mischevious toddler, into a little girl and now on your way to bigger and better. You are smart and beautiful and everything a parent could possibly dream of. As I sat watching you with your friends yesterday I realized that my little girl is getting big. I know it sounds silly because I've known it for quite some time now but watching you really made it sink in. I'm thrilled for you - and scared, excited, hopeful, nervous and sad. I hope you know how much I love you. I hope you know that everything I do is for you, your sister and your Dad. You are everything to me and I will love you forever. Happy Birthday Baby!

It's the Final Countdown

Yes, this is a song but it's also the theme of our days lately. Maggie is SO excited for her 7th birthday, she can hardly stand it. Every morning she wakes up and the first words that pass her lips are "Mom only x more days!" She's never been quite this excited for her big day so it makes me even more excited for her.

So, the theme of the year is "Dancin My Way to Seven" - yup, you guessed it. A DJ, Dance Floor, sparkly dresses, high heels, curls, lipstick, the whole bit. Oh and I didn't mention the fact that I have 14 children all 7 years old and under sleeping at my house on Saturday night. On Sunday we'll know if "sleeping" actually belongs in this sentence - IT BETTER!

She's getting to be such a big girl. For her present we bought her all of the goods to redo her room entirely (well, not the furniture but everything else.) Thursday I'm going to spend all day in there while she's at Grandma's - new bedding, window treatments, pictures for the walls, iPod and dock that matches her bedding :), and all kinds of big girl accessories. I can't wait to do it and give it to her and see her face!

So, as my daughter reminded me this morning ...... Only 5 more days!!!

Mornings

I am a morning person. I always have been and always will be. I might go to sleep early some nights but I love getting up when the sun is coming up. In our house though the thing that I love the most about the morning is the way that my girls' faces look when they first wake up. They each still stretch the way they did when they were first born. Their eyes are puffy the way that a newborn baby's eyes are. And they love to curl up to us for some good old fashioned lovin'! You can't ask for more than that!

She's on Her Way!

Congratulations Maggie Allison! Daddy and I couldn't be more proud of you.

Today our first baby girl graduated 1st Grade. Wow! To think that she's now on her way to 2nd Grade is unreal. It seems that just yesterday we brought her home from the hospital. But it wasn't yesterday - it was nearly 7 years ago. No matter how much I think about how I wish I would have stayed in jammies and held her all day or took less days for granted, I can't keep her a baby. I have made the leap of faith and completely understand that even though I miss "those days" she has her own life now. She's growing, learning and thriving. She has gloriously happy days with her friends and then other days she is sad because someone said her dress isn't as pretty as she thinks it is. This morning I said to someone that I was a little sad and she said to me, "What are you sad for? As a parent isn't it our job to praise them and be excited for them? How will they be proud of themselves and excited if you are down in the dumps? It's not all about you anymore - its about her and you should be happy for her." Harsh at first thought. When I got home I checked my Facebook and saw a post from someone that was praising **herself** for "getting through the day" since its her kiddo's last day of school and I realized that the earlier conversation, although harsh and difficult to hear, was pretty right on. I just hadn't thought about it like that.

So anyway, CONGRATS again Mags. We love you so much and you did an amazing job in first grade. Keep up the good work! XOXO

An Oldie but A Goodie!

Every once in awhile I stumble upon something that makes me smile. As I type this my youngest daughter is waking up. How do I know this? Because she lays in her bed WHINING AS LOUD AS SHE CAN but refuses to walk out of her room. It's as if the walls of her infant crib still surround her and she's trapped. Not the case - she's almost 5 no matter how badly she wants to be a baby again (still).

Anyway, in the midst of our morning routine and photo uploads, I came across this one. My Emma has the gift - the gift of being able to apply her own bright red lipstick by the age of 3. In this photo she was just over 2 and I caught her in our bathroom carefully lining her lips. Funny to see the old house too - I forget about that place!

What's So Difficult?

I don't know. When I'm hungry, I eat. When I am tired, I go to bed. Period. When I am completely exhausted I lay my head down, shut my eyes and get rest. Not my children. They spent 3++ days in 80-90 degree temps, ran, swam, played, you name it. Today, back to the busy school day. I took them out for dinner and we went shopping. We get home and they are obnoxious, loud, naughty and did every single thing but listen and/or behave. They are over-tired, crabby and exhausted but yet they REFUSE to lay down and rest. For just over 1 hour now I have been fighting with both of them to go lay down. I can feel the blood pumping through my veins hard and fast and the big one is coming, I'm about 98% sure right now. Remember several weeks back when I talked about how sad about leaving I was. Not today. What on earth is so difficult of going to bed when you are tired? If they only knew how difficult it is to tolerate. As one of my mommy friends said to me this weekend, "I'm starting to think that the phone number to social services should be in my speed dial so I can just call it and say COME AND GET THEM!" Obviously this is light-hearted joke but as a mommy I can relate. To all of you mommies that stay home, GOD BLESS YOU! You are much, much stronger than I am. And yes, this is a fine example of NOT separating the stimulus from the response and just plain ole reacting. I'm good at it and this is my rant for today. Ahhh I feel a little better now. Thanks for listening!