Bella Birthday Recap

So Bella had a birthday filled with after school present opening, late night presents, white cream filled lemon cupcakes with strawberry frosting.  Be still my heart.  I'm in love.  The she had a birthday party with school friends the weekend after that was an 80's theme.  It was tons of fun.  Picture recap below.

 Modeling her new purse

 Yummy cupcakes

 Present Time

 Makeup and then hair too.

 Shamrock cake for party

 Glow in the dark dancing

 Pyramid building

P Diddy Has Nothing on You

Wyatt had an all white suit
including vest for his baptism. 
And he loved it and sported it for several weeks
in various very cool style combos
until I had to reclaim it and save it
from being too dirty for Issac's baptism day.

 (Excuse the sleepy sunday morning eyes!)

(And check out the cute tooth gap!)

Seeing the Real Deal

Although these are beautiful,

and these are super delicious

  this is exactly what I needed.

Because although all of them were gifts after the passing of my brother,

and greatly appreciated, now that I am seeing that last one, for real, in nature

- I feel the funk going away. 

Because what is spring if it isn't new growth.

And I finally feel free of the cold damp soil that had settled in on me in my emotionally fraught life.

Goodbye winter, usually I love you, but not so much this year.

Through the Years - Bella

As a baby I thought you were perfect.  You were my first and I had nothing to compare you to, but I was convinced there couldn't have been a more perfect child exist than you.  Through your toddler years I was still convinced you were wonderful, but perhaps no longer perfect since you would occasionally test me with your battles of will.  You have always had a stronger determination than most and I still remember vividly a four hour temper tantrum you held in your room, and I still have the teary journal entry that I wrote from my room as I wondered how I would ever survive motherhood.  One would wonder how such a sweet, precious little face like this could scream bloody murder for FOUR hours, but you did.

But as you aged, you naturally outgrew that stage though still I see glimpses of that same stubborn determination.  You have always been so mature and thoughtful and wise, but still you held on to some of your baby habits like your blankie, you sucked your thumb almost entirely until you started Kindergarten and you loved to get naked especially when you played outside in the summer, these habits I had to work hard to relieve you of. 

But now you have hit 10, the double digits.  I can't believe how fast every moment has gone.  I can't get over how much I want you to stay as you are - once again perfect in every way.  But when you hit a new stage I am finding that I love it, and it is better than anything I have known before.  And I wonder again how my heart can hold so much love and affection. 

That stubborn will of yours still exists, but now you have learned to manage it in a way that is more logical and practical in your persuasive powers to get what you want. And I can't help but give in when you are so keen a negotiator.  You are graceful, centered, and reliable.  You are beautiful, precious, and wonderful.  You are ten and I can't help but think that you are perfect and always will be.  I love you princess.  Stay just as you are - improving with age.

Local Celebrity Birthday

I'm a good friend or so I like to tell myself.  That is why when a gym friend had his birthday, I sent out a request looking for scantily clad dressed men.  Because although he is really a minor celebrity, last year's National Champion of Car Racing, he is a pretty modest guy.  So my idea was to stalk his wife's facebook account, copy a picture, blow up his face and match it to a body, hang it on the front door to the gym and watch him be embarrassed. 

And it worked beautifully.  But even more than embarrassed, he was super flattered and laughed and came to give me a hug, even though I was seriously sweaty already four miles into my run, and he knew it was intended to make him feel all loved since his wife happens to be out of town.  So see...good friend.  This is me giving myself a pat on the back!  Oh and if it would have backfired we would be even, because he ran me through a workout two days ago that still has my legs fighting back with fiery pain and cramping sensations that won't stop.

Signing Autographs

I was at the kid's school today helping in Wyatt's class.  His teacher says to me, did you see the newspaper yet.  "No?!?!" 

And he asks "It's today, right?  Bella's story in the paper."

"Oh, yeah.  Today is Tuesday."  You see they had told me that my daughter had won third place in an essay contest among all the fourth graders.  I just sometimes forget things.  Okay a lot of things.

After walking down to Bella's class to drop off some stuff she had forgotten at home, I encountered her teacher.  The classroom was empty.  And she told me that Bella had taken on the role of celebrity at the school.  Each student had been given a newspaper, since a whole section had been devoted to Newspaper in Education, and as they received their paper, they would rush Bella asking for autographs.

Her teacher told me she was very humble and super gracious and kind, simply signing away.  Now don't get me wrong I love that she won 3rd place.  But I love even more that she is a level-headed girl.  Because to paraphrase Kathy Lee Gifford from the other day - I really never thought this day would come - Talent is something you are born with, character is something you build.  Congrats, Bell ba doo.  I think you have both talent and character.