Nine and change

This ode to my newly minted 9 year old is a slight bit overdue, considering her birthday was three weeks ago. But also considering that I didn't get any of these written last year, I'm doing pretty good for this year.

Turning nine this year proves that my middle child is quietly sneaking up on us. It's hard to be sandwiched in the middle, living in the shadow of an older sister and in the after-math of a whirlwind of a little brother. Given that so much parental attention needs to follow the oldest as we all explore unchartered territory (middle school...need I say more?) and also follows the youngest as we continue to work on discipline and respect (and responsibility...and following directions...and using words instead of actions...and...).

Luckily for our middle child, she is very different from her brother and sister, who are very alike to each other. Our younger daughter stands in her own light, which she casts into that shadow of her older sibling. And she has unbelievably strong roots so as not to get blown away in that whirlwind from her brother.

With what I like to call an "old soul", our daughter has the ability to connect with us in ways that her siblings do not. It's in the look in her beautiful blue-green eyes, it's in the curve of her smile, it's in her recognition and connection with us about the craziness that goes on around us all in a family of five.

She just "gets it"; she understands that we all have to wait our turn for certain things. And better yet she knows that making other people happy is sometimes as good as - or better - than making ourselves happy. This is something that a lot of kids don't learn until they are out of college...or ever.

And just when I'm worried about her not being silly enough and embracing her childhood, she'll take her silly putty and shape it into mustache and place it on her face, waiting to surprise the next person that looks at her.

Though she can still very often be reserved in her behaviors (much like her painfully shy days of preschool), she quietly moves forward in life. Without us even realizing it, she will master a new skill like skateboarding, or she will run for class representative in her 3rd grade class - and get elected.

In fact, she forgot to tell us about her classroom election for 3 days.  In one single day she decided to run, wrote and delivered a sensible - and a little bit silly - speech, and then won the election in her classroom. And then she just sort of let life go on as normal, remembering to tell us about it all several days later.

So here's to you my newly minted nine year old - my birthday wishes for the next year.

• May you always shine your own light and glow in the knowledge that you are special and unique and deserving of every bit of attention that flows your way.

• May you always have strong roots and and continue to build a foundation of love, respect and patience, both from others, and from and within yourself.

• May you never loose sight of the value of a little silly behavior, keeping you young at heart.

• May your quiet strength and confidence continue to grow and flourish through the years.

I love you sweet pea.

An Even Dozen

Somehow the clock ticked right by number 11 and struck midnight.

I have been sadly absent from this blog for a while, but I'm determined to pick it back up and let it carry some memories through time so that I will remember life's little - and big - moments far into the future.

Last year my oldest daughter turned 11 and this blog was left waiting. Now she turns an even dozen years old, and I'm compelled to capture it in writing once again. So much has happened, and yet so much remains the same.

She's still singing her way through her days, only now it seems to be with more volume and gusto. Or maybe it just feels that way sometimes.

She's still a very responsible and caring young lady. She helps around the house (now being the official owner of chores), she tends to her younger siblings much to their delight, and she is always on time, ready to go before just about anyone else in the house.

And yet other things have changed. While she's always enjoyed venturing out into the world and discovering friends and fun moments in life, now she seems to be spending more time "out there" than inside the house. Her school days are long, and her weekends are spent hanging out with friends as much as she can possibly squeeze into her - and our - schedule.

She's in middle school now, and she's walking the line between the safe comfort of her family and home, and the excitement of a new social world that includes BFFs, fashion fascinations, instagram, and school dances. But she still knows that no matter how much fun she has "out there", there's always her family waiting anxiously to welcome her return to our home.

Another new thing this year has been the addition of a cell phone into her life. Much to her father's chagrin, her face is often glowing with that familiar blue haze from her iPhone, and her eye contact has been much more limited. Her laughs and chatter are still there, but often they are directed at no one in particular as she reads something silly, or we find out she's not actually talking to us but instead to a friend on the other end of her phone. We often get "shushed" in the name of cinematography as she captures her own life through videos that she authors and edits with surprising savvy.

Even with that difficult task of balancing this whole process, she handles it all beautifully. She respects our rules and embraces our good old fashioned fun. She shares her knowledge of all things virtual, and never hides or lies about anything (as far as I know!). There is no eye-rolling or heavy sighs; if she's upset about something she walks away and takes time to herself, or openly talks (and cries) about it with me. And through our talks she quietly learns from my soft lectures and shared life lessons, often surprising me when she recites back the things I try to teach her as she finds her way down the path of life.

To put it simply, we couldn't be more proud of how gracefully our oldest child is aging.

 So here's to you, my sweet child, as you celebrate an even dozen.

• May you always embrace the sweet music of life, harmonizing with it's melodies and raising the volume when the passion strikes you.
• May you always take life seriously enough to be responsible and on time, but never so much that you no longer laugh at the silly moments with those near and dear to you.
• May you always listen quietly, talk openly, and learn swiftly.

Next stop...teenager.

She's Seven

Today is my middle child's birthday. She turned seven years old.

Lucky number seven. Lucky for so many reasons if you ask me.

I feel lucky to have such a wonderful person in my world. She is so full of life, so kind and loving. Over the past few years she has shown us all so much more of her personality. She's found her voice and her comfort zone and she's not going back.

Gone are the quiet and shy days of the past. In fact now most days she is not at all quiet. Rather loud I'd say. She can let out a wail with the best of them, just to make sure you are paying attention. I keep telling her she can't 'cry wolf' all the time or else I won't know when she's really hurt. So as if to prove a point, last week she had an incident that created our first accident-based doctor's visit, a near-miss with stitches. And did she cry? Not a bit. She just calmly walked up to her dad and said she got hurt. No wailing, no tears. But a lot of blood.

I guess I was wrong. There are some quiet moments in her life.

She also quiets down when she's being serious. Serious enough to tell me that she's sad about someone else being sad. That it hurt her 'on the inside' when she saw her friend get hurt.

And she's rather quiet when she's working away on an art project. Not one for video games, she'd rather do hands-on stuff. Her brother and sister could probably sit in front of a screen all day. But not her. She's got to get up and get out. Get working on a project or playing a game or sport.

I also think this year is lucky number seven because she's sort of catching up to her big sister for a little bit. For the next year or two they will share some really fun times. Right now they are loving being the girls in the family, and we have so much fun when it's 'girl time'. She adores her big sister, and tells her so. She absolutely radiates when her big sister is being sweet and nice and playing with her. She seems to know how important she is in this duo, even if her older sister isn't even aware of it yet.

So here are my birthday wishes for you this year, my little love.

• May you always have your voice, and may it always be heard, whether loud or soft.
• May you always stay calm and resist the panic, even in moments of fear or confusion.
• May you never lose your empathy for those around you.
• May you always get up and get out, taking full advantage of all that life has to offer.
• May you always realize how important and loved you are, even when it's not stated out loud.

Happy 7th birthday big girl.

Four by Four

Today is my son's fourth birthday.

How the time flies.

Before our very eyes he is turning into a little kid. Not so much the toddler anymore. Certainly not the baby he used to be, but of course he will always be my baby.

While it has been a while since I have regularly posted, not so much has changed with our little guy. Last year I wrote that he was fast, furious and fun. Those still stand true today. Of course he is many other things as well.

He is full of energy and enthusiasm. So much so that I often get tired just watching him. And I am always tired trying to keep up with him.

He is in one moment quiet and shy, stuck to my side, and the next waving to me as he runs by to keep up with all the big kids.


He is entirely too demanding. But I guess that is part of being young and innocent. He has no knowledge that things won't just appear in front of him the second that he asks for them. And if you ask me he'll have plenty of time to learn the value of hard work later on in life.

He is more loving than I have ever known a small child to be. There are the more overt shows of affection, like when he comes running up to me at school pick up with a big smile and throws his arms around me. But some of my favorite loving moments are those that are least expected. Like when he was watching the birthday candles on his cake burn and I bent down to be next to him while we sang Happy Birthday. He saw me right there and just impulsively turned to face me and put both hands on my cheeks and pulled my face into his so we were nose to nose with big smiles on our faces. It was like he couldn't help but do it. And I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with warmth inside. His love is truly palpable at times.

It goes without saying that his smile still fills my heart with joy. His laugh is still the most precious thing in my world.

And he is still the most challenging little bundle of energy and love in my life.

So here are my birthday wishes for my son this year.

May you always have the energy to face all of life's challenges head
on, never regretting that you could have done more.

May you always remember your roots and appreciate your foundation, but
never feel too shy to get out and explore what the world has to offer.

May you always demand the most, expect the best, and know that you deserve it all.

May you always show and share your love with those that make you happy, and
know that it will come back to you many times over if your heart stays
genuine.

Happy birthday my littlest love.

Six so soon?

Today is the 6th birthday of my middle child. Otherwise known as my younger daughter and the only child that gets to be both "big" and "little" sister in our family.

What a year this has been for her. I can't even begin to adequately describe the growth that she has embraced over the past 12 months.

A year ago she was still reluctant to let us go when saying good-bye. It was just about the time that she was finally not crying anymore, but she wasn't running off to be with her friends either. She was doing the silent good-bye without looking back for fear that she would see what she would be missing.

Nowadays, we can drop her at school and she'll give us a little smile good-bye as she waltzes right into class. She started Kindergarten this fall, and although I haven't written about it, the experience has been wonderful.

We were worried that she didn't know anyone and weren't sure how she would be socially adapting to a new school and a new group of friends. But she was fine. Absolutely great in fact. She soon learned to love school and reported playing with a couple of friends. Boys, of course. And those couple are still her friends to this day.

She also started going to an after-care program after school. After a rough first day, she adjusted and soon learned to love the extra arts and crafts time too. As well as seeing those same two buddies for a little longer. Now she stays the full day and has never once complained. She really does love exploring this new little world she lives in.

This past summer she went to her first camp. She never before wanted to go to a camp. But this year she did a basketball camp with one of her friends. And she had a great time. Not a single problem dropping her off, never a complaint. Then later in the summer she was at the same camp that I volunteered at for the Girl Scouts. Her older sister went off to her group, I went off to mine and she and her brother went off to theirs. And she loved it. She really loved it. I have to say I think she even ruled the roost a little bit in her group. She was the oldest (not by much) and it was right up her alley; tons of arts and crafts and playing in the dirt.

It's like she's really starting to have fun with her childhood. For so many years she seemed to have one of those worry clouds over her head. Not really so much at home, but definitely when she went out into the world. But slowly that cloud has disappeared over the past year. And I like to think it's being replaced by one of those big yellow happy faces.

A few weeks ago she had another first. She was invited to a friends party at a little kids gym place. Do you happen to remember my stories about her going to friends' parties in the past? The way she would cling to me? The time we actually had to leave the party because there were too many people and too much noise? Well this time she went right in. Joined the group and never looked back. In fact, my husband took her and he ended up leaving her there while he went out and "ran a few errands". Probably at Starbucks. And she was great! She had so much fun she has asked to go back there to play. And asked. And asked.

Over this past year she has really adjusted to the world around her. She used to be afraid to look around and see what was waiting for her. She was overwhelmed by large crowds and noisy places. Now she is opening her eyes and taking it all in. And after a sage assessment of what's in front of her, she is participating. At least most of the time. Almost all of the time really.

She's answering people's questions when they ask her her name or her age. She's socializing with friends every chance she gets. We even took her along to my son's preschool holiday party last week and she was perfectly content going from craft table to craft table making things. In a room - a large room - full of adults and kids. That was loud. And warm. And that would have caused her to completely shut down a year or so ago. But this year she didn't care. She wasn't worried at all.

She even sat on Santa's lap for the first time this year. Despite her trying to talk her sister into believing that there is no Santa. I think that's just her rational side that she let's take over a bit too often.

This girl always has two feet on the ground. She's patient, loving, and incredibly grounded. Sometimes she's so sensible I want to tell her to just let go and have some fun. But then the next thing you know I'll see her pretending she's Buzz Lightyear shooting the aliens, and I'll realize that she does have a fun and creative side to her. It's only just now starting to really come out from underneath her emotional security blanket.

Here are my wishes for you this year, my beautiful six year old girl.

May you always keep your eyes open to the world and all that it has to offer.

May you always see the light that you add to that world, and may it always shine brighter with every year.

May you always choose your friends carefully and know that where one friendship ends another can begin.

May you never loose your sure footing on this earth, keeping your balance and sound judgement.

May you never forget that sometimes the creativity within our own minds lights the path to our dreams.

Happy birthday my love.

Nine is Devine

Today is the 9th anniversary of when I became a mother. It also happens to coincide with my daughter's 9th birthday, for those of you keeping track.

I honestly can't believe that nine years have passed since my husband and I first took on parenthood. Sure, you could say that it was 9 years and 9 months ago, but really, let's all face it. You aren't a parent until there are tears that you have to dry and bottom that you have to wipe.

So now here we are. Deep into parenthood with all its joys and fears. And I have to say that it's a pleasure that we get to experience so many firsts with my oldest. This past year had a few of them.

For every trip we have taken on an airplane this year, we had the joy of hardly noticing our oldest was with us. This was the first year that she packed her own bag, rolled it through the airport, stowed it away, and then kept herself busy the entire trip. Every time. In fact, being that we have the odd number of people in our family, and that most of our trips were in smaller planes that only had 2 seats on either side, many times this past year our oldest sat in a row by herself, usually immediately in front or behind me. Like I said, we hardly noticed she was with us. Especially since she would charm her way into chatting or playing a game of hangman with her neighbor.

And speaking of charming her way into people's lives, this year is the year of the first crush. According to her chitter chatter with her friends there's a certain boy that "likes" her in school. This also happens to be the boy that she mentions quite a bit, so I figured maybe she had a crush on him as well. I was proven correct when I went in to her parent/teacher conference last month and the teacher raved all about her, and then said, "but". She followed it with a statement that everything was great until about 2 weeks prior when she started not listening well, giggling too much and seemingly getting into other peoples' business for no reason. When the teacher was telling me this a lightbulb went off in her eyes and she said she thought it must be the new seat assignments. At that very moment my lightbulb went off and I inquired who she was sitting next to. You guessed it. He who shall not be named was in the cluster of desks. It was official. And when I mentioned my inside information to the teacher she was quite relieved. As was I since I was starting to wonder what catastrophe she could have been processing during those past two weeks of poor behavior, or what lecture I gave her that sunk too deep in her heart. Thank goodness it's just those little kiddie hormones.

Another first this summer was that we have our first child that wants to ride the roller coasters - and every other ride at the parks - over and over. And over. By herself. Thank goodness, since nobody wants to see my husband or I hurl as we exit a ride for the 3rd time.

Most recently we had our first sleepover party. My daughter wanted to invite all her friends over for a pajama party and then asked if some of the could sleep over. After much discussion, we decided to just jump in with both feet and invited them all. 16 kids were invited. Thankfully only 8 could spend the night. So for the first time my husband took cover with our younger two at a friends house and my daughter and I had a good old fashioned sleepover party with the house to ourselves. We painted nails, made bracelets and pillows, hosted a pajama fashion show, sang karaoke, and then took in a double feature. The girls were great and I was incredibly proud of how well my daughter behaved herself the entire time. Even the next morning when they starting running amuck again. She was very generous the entire time, and was conscious of being fair to everyone at the party and not playing any favorites. She seemed to just be genuinely happy to have her posse over and exist in the midst of all that girly girl fun.

The firsts are only just beginning. For her and for us. I'm just glad we get to learn from it all before we do it again with our younger kids. It benefits them as well as us. So I'm thankful for my oldest being our host into the world of parenting.

This is my birthday wish for you this year, my hostess with the mostest.

May you always live independently and know that you are the keeper of your own happiness.

May you always love with an open heart and embrace all the joy that entails, while taking the aches in stride.

May you always enjoy a good roller coaster and the freedom of soaring through the air.

May you always cherish your girl friends, giving generously to their lives and appreciating all the happiness they bring you.

Happy 9th birthday my love.

The Fast, The Furious, and The Fun

Today is my son's 3rd birthday.

Over the past year he has proven true to his place in the family. The only boy. The youngest of three. Our little prince.

His nature is to be fast, furious and fun.

Everything he does, he does fast. Either he has no patience or he's really in a hurry to move to the next thing. Or both. Whatever the reason, he's remarkably fast. And by that I mean that many people - outside our family - have made remarks about it. From the time he first walked, he started running. And when he ran, he did so at a speed that made people ask me how old he was. His speed often works to his advantage. He can edge out his big sisters in a foot race. And if he's not winning he'll just push them out of the way so that he will win. Did I mention that he's competetive too? What I've come to realize is that we really need a huge room that's completely padded with things to jump off of and into in our house. He really digs that. Too bad for his forehead we don't have that to offer.

Like most two year olds, he has shown his furious side. He can tantrum better than his two sisters by far. He turns on the waterworks, stomps a foot or two, and demands that he gets his way. But I do like to think, when he throws his whole body on the floor and screams, that he is cuter than most two year olds. So at least he's got that going for him. And he's be a bit smarter too, if I do say so myself. He knows exactly when things aren't going to go his way, because he'll often throw in a "pllllleeeeeeeeaase?" and throw himself at my legs just before the eruption. But the plus side of turning three is that he's getting much better at his time-outs. He's learning to face the consequences like a man.

Of course, if you've ever met him, it goes without saying that he is fun. But I'll say it anyway. His imagination has hints of five and eight year olds running through it as he tries to keep up with the big kids. He'll tell jokes that make no sense, he'll dance a little hip hop when the mood moves him, and he always cracks himself up with the word "poop" or any variation thereof. He can get a smile so big that sometimes I feel like I could lose myself inside it. And his laugh is so amazing I truly wish I could bottle it. It brings tears to my eyes knowing that I might not hear it so much one day. At least not with so much gusto and lack of self-consciousness.

Our little guy has one big personality. There's no mistaking it, he's here to live life to the fullest.

So here's my birthday wish to you this year, my son.

May you always use your speed to your advantage, but never forget to slow down and appreciate all that surrounds you, including those that you might be passing by.

May you never stop expecting the most, demanding the best, and wanting it all.

May you never forget that life is fun, and should always be so. Keep your sense of humor and your love for life and you will always be able to laugh with abandon.

Happy Birthday buddy.

High Five

We are on a birthday roll in the house and today is our younger daughter's birthday.

She turns five.

And I think my husband and I are breathing a sigh of relief.

She's the passionate one in the family, and she saves it all just for us. She's quiet out in the world, but when she comes home she lets it all out. And her quietness combined with her passion can make for a girl that likes to express herself with noise and motion, as opposed to words. If I only had a dollar for every time we've told her to "use your words". We'd be living on a beach somewhere and she'd be able to karate chop as many coconuts as her heart desires.

I'm really hoping that this past year as a four year old was the climax of a lot of her behaviors. I do see her settling down a bit as she heads into the next year. Turning five is actually a pretty big deal. She's no longer a toddler, and she becomes "school age". We've really seen some wonderful changes in her lately.

She's SO much easier to drop off at school now. No clinging or crying. Although there isn't quite a verbal "good-bye" yet either. But again, she's living up to her reputation as the quiet one. She'd rather just silently walk away into the rest of her day, which she's excited about in some ways, and nervous about in others. Hence her silence.

Her teacher has said how much she adores her because she is sweet, she listens and follows directions, and she's nice to everyone.

She's taken quite an interest in playing with her friends from school and is always asking me when she can have more play dates. As much as I try to make it happen, it's hard to juggle and she's proving yet again that she can be very patient.

Although, even with all the desire to play with friends, recently she told me that she wants to be left alone more often. She says she needs to be by herself sometimes.

I know exactly how she feels.

In fact, I know how she feels in many ways. She's our child in which I see the most of myself. It's in her looks for sure. One day the UPS guy came to our door and she and I answered it. As I was signing for the package he looked at her and said "you have beautiful eyes." Then I finished signing and looked up at him and he surprisingly said "oh, you have them too!"

But it's more than just eye deep. It's that feeling that you are watching a bit of yourself walk around on the earth. I don't think I can define it exactly. It's just something in her spirit that connects with me.

And it could be that she hates skirts and dresses and loves to play sports and run around with the boys. Because I did that very same thing until I was in about 6th grade. Then I still didn't wear skirts and dresses, but I did start dancing with the boys instead of running around with them. I have a feeling she'll be a bit of a late bloomer much like myself.

It's funny how each of your children can be your kids, and yet you can see them in such different lights. You connect with them in such different ways. And I'm glad she has this connection. Because my first is my first. There's no other child that can compare to that. She's the first one to take me through so many experiences as a mother. And my last child is my last. My little one that I want to stay little, and that I'll cuddle with longer than either of the other two, simply because I know it's the last of my cuddling. And he's my boy.

So I'm very thankful for this connection with my younger daughter. She's the middle child that I hope will never feel lost in the middle. She's my girl that I will always keep an eye out for, and that I will always have a sense of what she might be feeling. But I'll never assume I know it all, because she surprises me all the time.

In the spirit of giving her her own light to shine in, here are my wishes for my brand new five-year-old.

May you always love to make funny faces and sing silly songs.

May you always be able to entertain yourself for an hour with construction paper, scissors, and a roll of scotch tape.

May you always love the attention from your siblings and yet cherish your time alone.

May you always be so careful in choosing your friends, and may you be open to making new ones whenever you need someone with which to share a snack or a play date.

May you never forget that passion is what makes for an exciting life, no matter how it is expressed, so long as it's peaceful.

May you forever know exactly what you want in life, and may you find the means of attaining it while still being nice to everyone.

Happy Birthday sweet pea.

Eight is Great

Today my oldest daughter turns 8 years old. Which amazes and underwhelms me at the same time. It amazes me that it has already been eight years since she was born, when it seems like such a short time ago that she was my one and only child that I would rock to sleep at nap time and sing to sleep at bed time. It also underwhelms me a bit since so much of the time she seems like she's already 12 years old. Eight is definitely not a big enough number for her personality.

This past year has been one of new experiences for her. She played some new sports, made some new friends, and acquired her own bedroom.

While she enjoyed softball, especially since her dad was the coach, she wasn't as keen on soccer this Fall. Which I think I could have predicted. She doesn't have the drive inside her to run like her younger siblings. She's a mover, don't get me wrong. But she's more into short and fast. I don't see any long distance running in her future. Personally, I can't blame her as I have the same tastes. So as you could guess, her favorite position to play in soccer was goalie. Which is just as important as the running positions. After all, I was a goalie too. For pretty much the same reasons. Perhaps she gets more of her physical make up from me than I thought.

This summer we moved the bedroom assignments around and gave her her own bedroom. We just felt like she really could use the space and the sense of ownership. She's grown into it with a flourish, especially since we just finished the last touches over the past week or two. She has already moved into the tween years, complete with posters on the wall and her constant desire to bring a purse with her everywhere we go, filled with all the little girl essentials, like a ponytail holder and comb, some cash, lip gloss and a mirror, and usually a fake cell phone.

Over the past year her loving spirit seems to have grown a well. She's like a little mommy to her brother, constantly helping him move through his ever-changing life. She's slowly shifting into the role of mentor to her sister. And she's becoming more of a helper around the house, someone I can count on for an extra pair of hands when I'm in need. Her desire to help take care of others and make sure everyone is included makes me proud.

When we talked about what she wanted to bring to school to celebrate her birthday, she said it had to be something "dairy-free, meat-free and nut-free so everyone can have one". This sort of amazed me since she really could have picked anything she wanted. So we came up with jello jigglers. Then yesterday she came home disheartened because she said that one boy in the class couldn't eat gelatin since he was a vegan. [I'll have to do some research on that one.] She then asked if she could bring him a cupcake. I told her that was very sweet, but that we'd have to be fair and just bring the one thing, and that I was sure he'd understand.

I think that I am finally seeing all the years of hard work starting to pay off. It's not that we didn't see all of these wonderful behaviors before, because we did. But now they are her lifestyle and personality, and not just what she does when we are right on top of her.

Her sense of generosity and caring. Her responsible and loving nature. They are all hers now. She acts on them because she chooses to, not because we are telling her to do so. Because these things are some of the many wonderful traits that make up her incredibly beautiful and unique personality.

And that's why I say Eight is Great.

Here's my birthday wish for you this year my love.

May you always socialize with confidence, making new friends with ease while still cherishing those who have remained loyal.

May you always love and appreciate your younger siblings, never take them for granted, and know that they will forever look up to you as you make your path in life.

May you always have so much energy and life that you brighten any room you enter.

And may you forever know that I am proud of every hit, cheering you on for every catch, excited for every new endeavor, and here for you if ever you should fall.

Happy 8th birthday big girl. I love you.

Birthday Boy

Today is our son's 2nd birthday.  And while he may be our third child, he is not to be overlooked or forgotten in the crowd.

I can safely say that he's the first one to take us through many experiences.  Which speaks volumes considering we've been at this parenting thing for 7 and a half years.  Of course, some of these things are based on the fact that he's a boy.  Like he's the first one of my kids to obsess over Thomas the Train.  And he's the first one that can get a sunburned belly (my girls aren't into the bikinis yet).  And he's the first one to get a buzz hair cut.  That one may be a bit obvious, but it's a change of pace in my life, that's for sure.  I'm used to going to the kids hair salon once every 3 or 4 months.  Looks like daddy will be brushing up on his 3 blade skills.

My son is also the first one at this age to thank me profusely, or anyone for that matter, whenever they do something for him.  He says "tay koo mommy" after I get him a drink or snack, or after I open a door for him or put his shoes on him.  He even says it when I put him down for a nap.  I'm really hoping this is a sign of the gentleman he's to become.

He's also the first one of our kids to become an escape artist.  A couple weeks ago he was happily playing in the tub and my husband was in the next room on the computer.  So I took a quick jaunt downstairs to change over some laundry, figuring my husband would keep an ear out for the little guy for a few seconds, and thinking that he'll just play in the water for a minute, singing his usual tunes.  After not even 10 or 20 seconds, I hear "Mooooommmmy.....mooooooommmmy..." and it's getting louder each time.  Next thing I know it's very close by.  So I turn around and peak at the top of the stairs and there he is, in all his naked glory, dripping wet on the carpet.  Huh.  I didn't see that one coming.

Nor did I see the quick escapes from the crib coming either.  Neither of our girls ever got out of their cribs.  Ever.  Did I mention that they never did that?  Ah, the good ol' days.

Anyway, this all started about a week or so ago - right after the bathtub escape now that I think about it.  He woke up with his "I'm scared" scream, which got louder and more insistent over the course of a minute or two.  Since he's a kid that almost never gets up during the night we took our bets that he'd go back to sleep in a minute.  Not so.  His cries got louder, were followed by a loud thump, and then the got even louder as he tore past our bedroom, calling out for me, and started his rapid sliding descent down the stairs on his belly, screaming the whole way.  My husband leapt down the stairs after him and eventually we got him calmed down (but we had to deal with the side effect that he woke up his older sister).  After one more quick escape, that was another loud thump followed by the "I hurt myself" cry, he was back in his crib.  The next time he stood up to get out, I was at the door and told him to stay in bed.  Two more of those and we were done for the night.  Although he did get out of the crib that next morning when he woke up.  But for a week or so after that, nothing.  No escapes at all.  Until last night.

Last night he got out of his crib to find his favorite sleeping buddy at bedtime.  Daddy quickly resolved that situation, but then we had two "I'm scared" screams at different times during the middle of the night.  Both of those were followed by very loud screams down the hallway as he came to find us.  Then he helped himself out of the crib this morning.  And tonight, at bedtime, I had to do the "go back to bed" routine with him 4 times, and then stood at the door and did it another 3 times before he actually got out.  Then the last time, I was a little later, so I opened up the door a bit wider just in time to see his escape.  He's quite agile.  He climbs over the top while holding his doggy (the aforementioned favorite sleeping buddy) in one hand.  Which means that he throws himself over and is hanging on by one hand while dangling a good 10 inches above the ground, doggy secured safe and sound under the crook of his other arm, and then drops to the floor to make his escape.

Ah, my sweet boy.  How you challenge us so.  But with every new discovery, you make us stronger.  

So this year here are my birthday wishes for you.

May you always have good manners and earn the mutual love and appreciation of the women in your life.

May you always love the simple things in life, like a speeding train, a full moon, and a funny face.

May you always move with such speed and agility, and always go after what you truly desire.

May you always know that my arms are forever open, waiting to give you comfort in your times of need.

Happy Birthday my little love.

Wise One

Today is my middle child's 4th birthday. She's sandwiched between her older sister and her younger brother, and I'm thinking she may be the best one for the job. If my intuitions are correct, I think she'll be the glue that holds them all together.

She is fun and creative and loves to play with her big sister. And she's also silly and active, which makes her well-suited to play and run around with her little brother. On top of it all she is incredibly intuitive, sensitive and expressive, traits that will serve her well as both a younger and an older sibling. She's the only one in the family with both jobs, and I think she's up to the task.

The older my daughter gets, the more I see her colors brightening. She has had to live in the shadow of an older sibling, which has taken it's toll on her throughout the years. She was slow to make friends, since she had one built in right next to her all along. Not to mention all the friends that came along with her big sister, whose names and faces she knew long before she ever made friends her own age.

She was, and still is, slow to make conversation with others because she has had someone else to speak for her all these years. It has only been this past year or two in preschool, when her sister was no longer there, that she has been able to come out of her shell and enjoy making friends and playing along with kids her own age.

All along her spirit has been shining bright. If you didn't know her you might have missed it. She's shy to make eye contact and you'd probably just think she's cute and quiet. But it's in there. A beautiful glowing spirit that you see when you look into her eyes. When I look into her eyes I can feel it.

It's a selfless love and caring for others, fueled by a growing pride in herself. The more of the world that she learns to negotiate, and the more knowledge she gains, the more that pride grows. And I try to feed it every opportunity I can because I know it's still hungry.

She is our sweet little love bug. The one that still loves to cuddle and seek comfort in mommy's arms. The little girl that can turn from tears to laughter in a heartbeat. She is full of passion and not afraid to show it, when she's in her comfort zone that is.

And she's my child that never ceases to stop reminding me so much of me. Not just in the way she looks, which if you ask me is almost a spitting image, but in the way she behaves and negotiates her way through the world. Her compassion and empathy, her moodiness, her love of silliness. I hope she keeps it all and takes it further than me as she journeys through life.

Her name means "wise". Which I think is very appropriate. She truly is wise. One of the definitions of wise is having the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting. I see a big difference between that and being "smart". Even at just four years old, I can see this trait starting to form in her perceptiveness and keen observations. I hope it holds true.

My little love, here's my birthday wish for you. May you always feel so deeply, run so quickly, and have the freedom to act so silly.

Lucky Number Seven

Today is my oldest's birthday.

I cannot believe that 7 years ago today she made me a mother. One day I had a huge belly and only my husband to nag (and Enzo too), and the next day, there she was.

A new beautiful face in the world.

She had absolutely no inclination to come out of the womb on her own and had to be coaxed out (thank you Mr. Pitocin) 11 days after her due date.

And she's still stuck to my side, seven years later. She's definitely a momma's girl. Of course it goes without saying (but I'll say it for you anyway hubby) she adores her daddy too.

As a wee one she was always content and sweet, ready and willing to take on the world, so long as I was by her side. I'm happy to say that not much has changed over the years. She is my confident and strong girl, glad to play on her own and even more pleased to play with friends, both old and new. And so far she still loves having me by her side, for which I am thankful since one day in the not-so-distant future that may end.

Her imagination can put even the most creative of us to shame. She weaves stories that become tall tales. She is never happier than when she's playing make-believe games like "family" or "school". And she almost always has an animal or doll lying around the house that is the chosen one for the day or week, complete with it's own name and the recipient of multiple wardrobe changes, plus meals and naps.

As I have made it known before, she can dream big with the best of them.

She is also my most cautious little one. Always has been. And it's not just about following the rules, which she does to a tee, and ensures that others do so as well, lest they be tattled on. She tends to be afraid of getting hurt or too dirty or wet, whatever it is she might be up against. It made for a long wait before we took off the training wheels this summer, and it has also made branching out to new activities a bit of a challenge. On the other hand, it allowed for a lot of pristine hand-me-downs for her little sister.

She is the original wiggle worm in a family full of wiggly worms. Getting her to stay still for any length of time requires video input and room to stretch her legs. I'm guessing my husband and I have hit the millions for the number of times we have said "sit still with your bottom on the seat and your feet in front of you" at the dinner table.

Being a big sister came very naturally to my daughter. She is a nurturer, cuddler and lover. It is only in recent years that her patience with the younger ones has started to wear thin from time to time, as is to be expected. But she is still sweet to them and only rarely upsets the delicate sibling balance that leans so heavily in her favor. This trait is certainly rooted in her natural leadership abilities; she loves to be in charge with only the occasional bout of bossiness.

Ah, my sweet girl. Full of passion that so often is characterized by smiles, laughter and incessant movement.

My birthday wish for you: may you always move with such freedom, dream with such abandon, and love with such enthusiasm.

Birthday Girl

Today I am 38 years old. And it's been a lovely day.

I had a luxurious breakfast in bed, followed by a little playtime with my kids.

Then I got a little exercise and went out to lunch with friends.

I came home and had some quiet time reading my book.

I followed that up by getting my hair and nails done.

Then I went on a lovely walk at sunset.

Upon returning home I was served a home-cooked meal followed by birthday cake and presents.

All in all, a perfect day.

Fine Print Translation:
My kids and I had breakfast in bed, served by my already exhausted husband (mental note: change the sheets before bedtime). Then my daughters and I tried to find a game we could play without my son stepping on, chewing on, or throwing any pieces; no luck. After that it was time for a birthday party, but not mine. We went to my dear friends' daughter's birthday party at a place I affectionately refer to as Playland on steroids. My younger daughter was a little too intimidated to play with the kids she didn't know, and since her big sister wasn't waiting up for her, I became her playmate. I talked her into what turned out to be a terrifying slide that felt like a runaway train. Another round of saltworks began, to be consoled only by a tickle-fest this time. We then had pizza and birthday cake for lunch before playing a few video games, and returning home rather spent. At that point I tried to sneak away for some quiet time in my bedroom to read my book. I made it through about 7 pages when my younger daughter found me and decided it was time to give me a manicure. She had a very wet spongey paintbrush which she used to "paint" my toenails and finger nails. Then she decided to do my hair with it as well, and even got out the spray-on conditioner, a FULL cup of water, and a comb. It was just like being at the salon. Then I motivated a rather unwilling crowd for a walk around the neighborhood with three-generations and two canines. We came home and I helped my mom get dinner on the table while my husband guided the kids in frosting a cake. After dinner I made a wish and we blew out the candles on my cake. But the Au Pair never showed up.


Happy birthday to me.


More Fine Print: A special shout out to my twin sister. Best birthday wishes to her as well, which goes without saying in our family. Love you tons, sis.

It felt more like 364 days...

Today is my son's first birthday.

How time flies.

I really cannot believe that 365 days ago we were welcoming him into this world. And on that day he completed our family in more ways then he will ever know.

His sisters absolutely adore him. And really they should get some credit for raising him to this point, because without their help I would not have made it through this year.

They get him food, give him is bottle, and keep him giggling. And they put out the APB when he has something (anything) in his mouth that is not a food product. Bless them.

It goes without saying that he is the prince of our house.

He crawls faster than any two legged being I've ever seen. In fact, he gets going so fast sometimes that his arms can't keep up with his quick little legs and he dives head first onto the floor. He then cries as if somebody done him wrong.

He has a serious love affair going with his blanket, which I foresee being in his life for quite some time. He even takes it a little further and has extra-blanketal affairs with any blanket or pillow in his vicinity. Just quick little three second snuggles that will last him until he returns to his true love.

He loves to snuggle close with mommy and daddy after nap time (and truth be told, he prefers daddy).

He never wants to stop playing to take a nap or go to bed, and yet, he does it anyway. And withouth barely a fuss. Yes, he is that angelic.

He is the most happy-go-lucky person I know.

With all that happiness on his side, I know he will always make his own good luck.

Because when he smiles at you, his heart reaches out, takes your hand and guides you to your happy place.

He is our son.