"You're Gonna Miss This...Moment" Birthdays

It's been another week, and time to ponder those little moments that we might miss one day. This week has been blessed with so many birthdays, and although we can probably count on those every year, I'm going to miss celebrating those special milestones with my kids when they still find magic in their birthdays! As I get older, I can tell you, I certainly don't look forward to another birthday! Not that I'm not thrilled and blessed to be able to spend another year with my family, but every year I get older means a few more 'laugh lines' and crow's feet, a few more gray hairs, and a few more pounds that seem to hang around each year!

I miss that excitement that kids have when it's their birthday. That feeling of giddiness of having cake and presents and a party and having the whole day planned around them! I love celebrating my kids' birthdays and feeling their eagerness and anticipation all year and listening to all the big plans they have for their special day and what presents they might receive. It's too bad adults don't still celebrate that passion for life! At least, I unfortunately don't have as much zest as I used to. I hope to keep that zest alive for my kids as long as possible and hope they truly cherish each birthday and believe that the wishes they make might come true! I'm gonna miss this moment some day, when they're older and mom and dad aren't invited to the party anymore because we're too old and not 'cool'!



Check out Pam's blog and see other "Miss This.." moments and tell us what you will miss someday!

Why was this time any different?

It's my fault, I know it is, so why do I keep doing it?

It's no secret that I LOVE Diet Coke, and the employees at Burger King know it. Just about every day I will pull up at the drive-thru and order my Large Diet Coke (which used to be a King size, but now it's just large) and say my thanks, and drive away. I hardly ever finish a whole one before the ice melts and it gets flat, but I just have to have the large!

Anyway, when we pick Emily up from preschool, Alex runs in and uses the bathroom (almost a regular occurrence, too!) gets back in the car and says "I'm thirsty!" in a way that you would think he's completely dehydrated. So I pass it back, knowing what's probably going to happen, but do it anyway, "Here, you can have a drink of my Diet Coke." Because there's PLENTY to go around!

We start to pull away, and he grabs a box of Goldfish off the floor, the GIANT box, and bumps the Diet Coke from his cup holder, and over it goes! Same spot on the floor as all the other Diet Cokes that bit the dust...

Why did I think it wouldn't get spilled this time when I handed it back?
Oh well...sigh.

The poor Yukon, needs a complete scrub down. I think you could find just about anything in that back seat, and probably a few things NOT worth finding!

Until next time...
"I'll have a Large Diet Coke, please."

Birthday wishes...family

All good things must come to an end, including birthdays. It's been a busy birthday, but a fun one! Emily chose Applebee's for lunch, and she got a balloon and ice-cream for her dessert, then off to ice-skating and tennis, and finally home! It was so hard for her to wait for Daddy to get home before she opened presents.
She wanted to open just one...so I said ok!




Then we had pizza and cupcakes, and she opened the rest of her presents! It was like Christmas again! She said her favorite gift was the Polly Pocket shopping mall, from Alex, but she was also happy to see Emily, an American Girl doll with matching pajamas, and a Hannah Montana guitar. Such a fun, memorable day, and it's already over. We'll get the chance to celebrate one more time, though, when her friends come over this weekend for her party! Birthdays are the best!






Good night Emily...and Emily!

Birthday wishes...preschool

Emily's preschool class helped her celebrate her birthday today and it's so cute to see how excited all the kids are for birthdays! They sang "Happy Birthday" and I helped pass out her cupcakes. I kept apologizing to the teachers, though, because the cupcakes were extremely messy! All the kids had brightly colored teeth and lots of crumbs everywhere! But that's part of the fun!

Hope your wishes come true, Emily!

Look who's Five today!

Five years ago, today, this was the gift we received!

Definitely only a face a mother could love!

When Alex saw this he said, "Aaah! Is that me or Emily?"
I said, "That's Emily, pretty, isn't she?"
He said, "Not so pretty."

She was born face first, so she was certainly ready to face the world! Because her face was pushed through first, it was swollen and bruised and she looked like she was not breathing, so there was some concern when she was born. But that just goes to show what kind of personality she has! Stubborn, yet sweet, independent, and very eager to try new things.


Emily's 1st birthday

2nd birthday

3rd birthday

4th birthday


Happy 5th birthday, Tallulah! (that's what I call her sometimes!) You made quite the entrance into our lives, and we love you so much! Have a special day and truly celebrate the princess you are!

(Alex made her a sign saying "Happy Birthday Emily!")



(Thank you Aubrey for the birthday wishes!)

On her way to the big K!

No, I'm not talking about K-mart! Today's the day that Emily will be registered for Kindergarten! This is a busy week for us, this being the first! Then 5 years old on Wednesday! I wish I could stall time for just a little bit. But I also love every stage they go through...maybe I could do without the attitude stages, though!

This morning when I dropped her off at preschool (we were early for a change!) I talked to some of the other moms while we waited for the class to open. One mom said the teachers told her during conferences last week, that her son could not skip, and boys his age usually don't know how, yet....she was stating this as we were watching her son skip down the hallway! There is also a zipper chart outside the classroom to show which kids are able to zip up their jackets all by themselves. One mom told us that her daughter just got her name on the list last week, yet, she has been able to zip her coat for over a year! That just brings me to the point I made about Emily not knowing her alphabet, either, as of last Friday. Well, last night, as we were going to bed, she rolled over before I left her room and said, "I can sing my alphabet." Really? I thought. "You can? Let's hear it!" And she did! Amazing! Apparently, not all kids will perform for their teachers when asked, same goes for us parents! Sometimes I'm amazed when the teachers tell me how well-behaved my kids are, and what good listeners they are. You're talking about my kids? I am extremely proud of Alex and Emily! They truly are great kids, and they test the boundaries sometimes, but sometimes I can't believe how lucky I am to be blessed with having the chance to raise two wonderful people! I also feel better that Emily can indeed recite her alphabet! So on her way to the big K she will go...skipping, with her coat zipped up!

Happy Birthday Cameron!

Today is Cameron's 3rd birthday! He is our talkative little nephew who always makes us laugh! Sunday we celebrated his birthday and, as always, had great hosts! Thank you Janet and Jeff!






"I'm three!"















I think the favorite gift was a drum set and all the kids wanted a turn with it! They also all wanted to try Spike, the Ultimate Dinosaur, but he will need to charge up before we get to hear him ROOOAAAARRR!





"Mmmm...Cake time!"



The kids are growing up so fast, and it's always a great time to see them together!





Happy 3rd Birthday, Cameron! Thanks for a great party!