The joy of Shel Silverstein

We found you quietly reading "A Light In the Attic" by Shel Silverstein last night. You were so content and happy you barely noticed we were in the room.

Happy 5th Birthday!!

My sweet baby girl. You turn 5 today.

I can't believe we've reached this milestone - it seems like just yesterday you and I were laying next to each other in that hospital bed trying to figure out what to do next. So far, so good!

You are such an amazing little girl. You have an amazing heart, and an exceptional mind. You are constantly striving to learn and to achieve. And much like your mother, you are always seeking perfection. I fear I have passed along this little burden to you.... you are so talented in so many things: signing, drawing, puzzles and other strategic games (it's kind of crazy how good you are at strategic/think-ahead games!) - but you get so frustrated if you can't do something perfectly the first time! If we're in the car on the way to school listening to Lady Gaga or Adele, Berit is singing at the top of her lungs, and I look in the mirror and you're just mouthing all the words. And since you are so much like me, I know it's because you don't want to sing the song until you have it mastered. You approach most things in your life like this.

One of your New Year's Resolutions was to learn to read. I fully intend to help you realize this sooner than later. We read together every night and we work on sounding out words. You always start off so strong and so excited, and after a few minutes I can see you start to get frustrated and you want to stop. It is so funny.

You learned to ride your bike without pedals about two months ago. We started you at Boulder Indoor Cycling in a Strider class, and after a few lessons you were a pro! We put your pedals back on after a few weeks and without any assistance you just took off down the driveway! It was amazing. You impressed all of us so much even your 2 year old sister decided to take classes. You are so strong and so athletic. Your little muscular body is going to take you so far in your life. I just hope you always appreciate how amazingly strong and agile you are, and how blessed you are to be so healthy. Not many girls are as strong as you at this age - and it shows in how fast you run, how fast you ride your bike and how quickly you picked up the "snow plow" in your first ski lesson!

I am so excited for this next year for you. You start Kindergarten in August and you are so ready. You continue to amaze me with your kindness as a daughter, your understanding as a friend, and your unbelievable patience and never-ending love as a sister.

Happy Birthday, Hadley Palmer.

iloveyoumadly.
mama

Mini Mommy

Parents of young children (and old, I suppose) take great pride in finding similarities between themselves and their babes. You, my dear, are almost a carbon copy of me. At least for the most part. Right down to your analytical side, weighing your options, very rarely the first to jump into any situation. I am the same way. Take swimming for example: you are never the first to jump off the wall or attempt to swim by yourself, but as soon as you see someone else give it a try, you go for it! And once you see that you can do it, your confidence soars and you charge full steam ahead.

A funny example of your "wait and see" side showed up the other night. We were downtown walking around after dinner. A street musician was playing his guitar and singing, and it was really fun. Berit immediately kicked off her flip flops and started dancing in the middle of the mall. You, on the other hand, weren't so sure. You sat down on the bench with daddy and decided your time was better spent at that moment feeding Tabitha (your baby). After about 3 minutes, however, you realized how much fun your sister was having and you jumped right in.

It was a great night.

iloveyoumadly.
mama

Pre-Bath Naked Baking

How Do Daddies Make Babies?

I was tucking you in last night when out of the blue you asked "Mommy, how do daddies make babies?" Now I have always been told to answer a child's question simply and exactly - don't elaborate, and tell the truth. So I did. I responded, "Daddies don't make babies - mommies do. Mommies have eggs in their bellies that turn into babies."

You got real quiet, and then in a very sad, sad voice said, "But mommy, I really thought daddies made babies!"

So clearly we were going to have this conversation. I responded, "You're right - daddies have to be a part of the process to make babies. They have something special inside them that works with the egg to make the baby." Clearly at this point I was hoping I wouldn't have to take this any further, and for the night anyway we could just move on.

But then you started crying. And I thought FOR SURE I had totally freaked you out, and I was going to have to keep explaining this process to you. But then - in a choking sob - you said, "I just want to move to Florida!"

What?

I asked you to explain. You went on to say, "I just want to live where there are princesses ALL the time!"

Clearly I didn't scar you with my first attempt at The Birds and The Bees.

Moving On....Moving Out?

I was tucking you in the other night, and on my 2nd check you opened your arms and decided it was time for you to hold me and rub my back. I love it when you do this. At that moment I realized that one day you weren't going to even want hugs from me, much less want me to lay down and snuggle with you. It was such an overwhelming feeling that I almost started to cry! I love you so much. You are growing up so fast I feel like I am not taking advantage of every moment you need and want me. I promise to relish in these moments moving forward.....

On the way to school yesterday you got really emotional. Out of the blue. I asked you what was wrong, and you said, "I don't want to live all by my big self when I grow up." I asked what you meant, and you said you never wanted to leave my house. I have no idea where this came from! So I spent the rest of the car ride to school reassuring you that a) you have about 14 years before that even comes up as an option, b) by that time you might be running for the hills to get away from me. You didn't seem to think that would ever happen.

It looks like you and I are pretty fond of each other baby. I think I can live with that - for now, and at least another 14 years.

iloveyoumadly.
mama

China

We survived! yay.

But not without some challenges. Let me say this first, however, before I go into those: you are amazing. You have risen to the challenge of being the 1st Born/big sister. You were my little helper, and for the most part without complaint. I love you so much for so many reasons, not the least of which is I am not sure how I would deal with your baby sister without you! (Ok - I'm being dramatic). But really - because she worships you down to your core there are times where we can just leave you two alone for a long time to play because I know you're watching out for her.

Ok - so onto the challenges. Main thing: mama didn't get much sleep during this trip. Aside from Ba helping every evening (hallelujah!!!!) the only overnight help I had was during one of the weekends when Nana came to stay with us. There were many nights I spent either in your bed or on the floor next to Berit's crib. Neither of you like it when one of us is gone, and it really reflects in your sleeping habits. But the worst night was when you both woke up AT THE SAME TIME! At 2:45 a.m. And. Never. Went. Back. To. Sleep. For real. After multiple attempts to keep you separated, I finally gave in at 4:30 and we went downstairs to watch a movie. I have never been so exhausted. That was the only night that happened - but there were many where you both woke up in the same night, just not at the same time.

We function best as a whole family. No questions asked. And when you guys saw daddy standing in the garage waiting for us last week when we got home from school - MAN did you faces light up! You were both so excited. It reminded me how awesome we are when we're all together.

iloveyoumadly.
mama