birthday, family, life

From zero to five years in the blink of an eye

standard July 31, 2012 3 responses

In an ironic twist of fate, this morning I rolled out of bed at 6:30, got into my car, and drove to the exact same place M and I drove to exactly 5 years ago.

That day I looked like I’d swallowed a watermelon and I was more than ready to welcome my baby into the world.

This morning I was sporting workout clothes and running shoes and definitely didn’t have an overnight bag with me.

The YMCA where I run is located right next to the hospital where both girls were born. The window I stare out of as I cover my morning 2.5 miles doesn’t face the hospital, but it didn’t stop me from reminiscing as I watched the sun come up today.

5 years.

Seriously?

That’s a LONG time. Where did it all go? I look back at photos and I can’t help but wonder how the time has flown by so fast. Then I look up at the child herself and I’m amazed at how articulate, how funny, how real she is.

Little L is my mini-me. We think the same way, like the same foods. I see myself in her in ways that both amuse and terrify me. But I have such passion for this little girl. This little spitfire who I know will give us hell as she becomes a teenager.

She still makes that pout.

So let the teen years come. We’ll face them head on. In the meantime, we’re going to thoroughly enjoy the ones in between.

How can you not love a child who gets that excited to be opening a package containing raspberries?

birthday, Wordless Wednesday

And then she was 6: Wordless Wednesday

standard May 18, 2011 3 responses

6 years ago today:

Not thrilled to be born.

Today:

Breakfast muffins straight from the oven!

The rest of breakfast wrapped up. Silly mommy.
Presents! YAY!
And a little sister with an infection ravaging her face. Booo.

C told us yesterday that what she was most looking forward to was being celebrated and made to feel special. I think we succeeded. It’s hard not to really, she’s just that awesome.

birthday, Little L, parenting, sibblings

Birthday with a side of whine

standard August 2, 2010 2 responses

The big 3-year-old birthday weekend started with

and ended with

which all looks sweet and loving and fun, but in the middle there were a lot of tears and even more whining.

It seems that our delightful oldest, always the first to comfort, cuddle, and love on her little sister, always first to make sure everything is fair and shared, only does well when she’s top dog.

And well, on her little sister’s birthday, she wasn’t, and she didn’t like it one bit.

The whining started as soon as they woke up, once she realized that the pile of wrapped presents didn’t contain one for her. I had warned her the night before that I didn’t have something for her, but that we’d be going to ToysRUs sometime during the day so that Little L could pick out her bike and while we were there she’d be allowed to pick out one. small. toy.

She spent the entire day whining and begging to go to the toy store. And when I say the entire day, I’m not exagerating one bit. She whined in the house, she whined through lunch, she whined at the birthday party for her best friend, she whined before nap, she whined after nap, she whined at the zoo (after whining that she didn’t want to go to the zoo), and she whined at dinner.

The only time she didn’t whine? Was when we were actually at the store. Oh, and when she was busy being mean to her sister, the birthday girl.
 
I’m tough with C. I don’t let her get away with much, and she’s usually pretty easy and good which is why this weekend was extra painful. We hated seeing this side of her, this calculating and comparing side, which weighed every single thing to make sure she was getting equal compensation. It was a brutal awakening to the fact that when it comes to her and Little L we usually let her be the boss. Since she’s usually so good at making sure that her sister gets her share, we didn’t realize what was going on.

This weekend Little L was delighted to be the center of attention, delighted to get to call the shots, delighted to be the one getting the better toys. When C whined she’d just stamp her foot, declare “It’s MY birthday!,”and completely refuse to back down.

This weekend marked more than just the beginning of Little L’s 4th year, I think it also marked the beginning of a more fair space, where C isn’t the only one who gets to decide what happens where. It’s time for Little L to get her time in the sun. She’s definitely not “just the baby” any more.

birthday, Parties, photos, Pictures

And the princess turned 5

standard May 17, 2010 2 responses

It all started with…

A new bike.
(And a few other presents.)
Which led to this. 
(It’s not as early as it looks.)
And some of this. 
Yes. In the kitchen. 
Because that’s where you ride your new birthday bike.
It also led to this. 
Had to get the little sister a helmet too!
The kitchen turned out to be a bit cramped.
So they took to the open road sidewalk.
A few hours later it was PARTY TIME!
Pool party time to be precise. 
And lucky for us the weather decided to cooperate in the nick of time.
 
 She’s usually very sweet and loving.
Just not when facing a pinata.
Then there was cake!
Lots of cake. 
(This was served surrounded by strawberries.)

Five candles are harder to blow out than four.

But discovering that mommy drew the smiley face you asked for 
more than makes up for it.
The little sister helped herself to cake, a fork, and seat.
Then she methodically ate it.
And the second and third piece she snagged too.
(I was confused when she handed me a half eaten piece of cake and told me she was done.
Then I looked through the pictures and realized she’d had quite a bit before…)
Followed by a strawberry chaser.
And like all good parties it ended with a little lambada. 
(What? Don’t yours?)

Five years ago today I was waiting somewhat impatiently to meet my first child. This morning she tiptoed into my room and, with an irresistible smile, asked for a birthday hug. It’s been an awesome five years, but I know the best is yet to come. I fell in love with her when she was a tiny infant, and I’ve fallen a bit more in love with her every day ever since. She’s just that amazing.