Happy Birthday, Georgia!

I can vividly remember the details of seven years ago today.  Walking around the block in Coronado, stopping at every other tree for a contraction.  Walking in the parking structure at the hospital to get contractions going stronger.  The long long process that quickly and easily lead to me holding the sweetest 9.1 pounder I've ever seen.  That face I will never forget.  I think that is THE MOST magical moment in life.  Giving birth to a life changing individual and putting a face with the person to which you will forever be linked.  Beautiful.

Trevor and I came home to the condo to my parents.  I remember tears welling up in my eyes seeing my dad holding Georgia.  Quite a moment.  And my dad pushing an empty stroller as we walked around the neighborhood because Georgia cried in her little seat.  Or perhaps she just really wanted me to hold her.  Georgia changed everyone's lives.  She continues to.

Georgia crawled at five months, walked at eight and a half.  She could have started kindergarten at two.  Off the charts in every aspect: intelligence, physical milestones, kindness, and off the charts in the ability to make people smile.

Born to be a lake girl.

I feel like Trevor and I are the luckiest parents.  Georgia has made our lives brighter, sweeter, more positive, and happier from day one.  Seven years have passed and there's not a day I would change.  Her inner and outer beauty is unparalleled.  I can't wait to see her seven more years from now, and marvel at her accomplishments.  Oh the lessons this girl teaches me as my first born.  I am honored to be her mom.  Sometimes I feel like it's not fair that I have her and nobody else gets to experience life with such an amazing girl.  Like I should be required to share her; to spread the wealth.   I'll count my blessings...and I'll take it.  I have truly won the lottery with Georgia.

Sorry, Howard.  She thinks it's really cool (now) that she was in to cockpit of your last flight!

That bald head was so tempting...poor Mimi had teeth marks...

TOTAL Daddy's girl.  She dreams of the day she can go to work with Trevor.

I love that the friendship with Emma and Meghan began three years ago and it's still going strong!

Silly cousins.

 I am so thankful for the big sister she is.  She is naturally a caring and thoughtful girl.

At seven years old, Georgia never ceases to amaze me.  Her curiosity, drive, enthusiasm for life...I can only imagine what I will have to be proud of seven years from now.

I LOVE YOU, GEORGIARELLA.  HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS TO THE BEST GIRL EVER!!

Off to drum lessons....

What a square.  No, a square would be boring.  What a quadrilateral.

Enough to make me get out of bed in the morning...

Mornings with Charlie Girl...

Beautiful

I can't get enough of this girl.  Millie is absolutely precious.  The comments that come out of her mouth are priceless.  Her thought process is ridiculously manipulative.  Her silly laugh brightens my day.  Her sweet eyes turn to crescent moons when she smiles; her whole face lights up.  And I love that.

 Millie's proverbial wheels are always spinning.  Her little brain is complex.  While playing with baby dolls, I can ask her a question about school and she rattles off the answer like it's no biggie.  Just this morning, sitting at the breakfast table and I asked Georgia where her backpack was and Millie pipes up "it's upstairs in her room."  She can almost always locate my keys (which I misplace often).

I don't get enough time for one on one time with Millie right now.  Especially not now that Charlie doesn't sleep.  I look forward to the days when we can have special time.  I make my first cup of coffee in the morning (or Trevor delivers it to me in bed if I'm lucky), and Millie makes my second.  Bless her heart, she can make it from start to finish.  Truvia, Coffeemate and all.  I was watching Gwyneth Paltrow on Ellen last week and she was talking about her dad's advice.

Cooking with her father taught her many lessons in life, metaphorically and practically. As a mother, she follows his example, especially in the area of trust. Her father believed children respond positively to being trusted with things they don't expect you to trust them with.

"When they are trusted and complete something successfully, not only is their self-esteem buoyed but so is the connection between parent and child." Thus, she says, she cooks with them and gives them responsibilities beyond what they might expect.

More here.  

It really hit home with me.  So true.  Make that coffee, Mil, make that coffee!  And pour that wine.....

Sleepless in Spokane

Charlie and I have our morning ritual down.  Wake up, make coffee and breakfast, look for Mr. Squirrel out the kitchen window, look for puppies out the front window, wake the kids up, etc etc.  She has definitely changed from a stationary, content little baby to a mobile, in-to-everything, content baby.  She never cries (when I have her!), she falls asleep in her car seat without a peep, she climbs up the stairs when I turn my back, she goes with the flow, and makes everyone smile with her scrunched nose grin.  She's perfect.  Almost.

She doesn't sleep!

Today she "slept in" until 6:45, and had a 10 minute nap in the car until I had to get the kids from school.  10 minutes.  That's all.  We went to preschool with Murphy (and Millie got to attend again), had a little going away party for Murph's teacher, went to the store, the post office, home to get Georgia's party details ironed out, met up with a great friend, picked up the Ms plus Andrew from school, got Murphy's hair cut, ate lunch at The San Francisco Bread Company, played at home, picked up Georgia from sign language, went to Murphy's t ball practice, played at the park, played out back, ate dinner, and Charlie is boobying to sleep now (8:00) and the other three are in the tub/shower.  What a day.  I guess there was no time for her to sleep.  Too much that she may miss out on.

Tomorrow, Trevor is going to be out in Moses Lake for the grand opening of his new store, so I will be flying solo with my duckings all day.  And that includes t ball pictures and a t ball game.  Trevor will be picking up my parents at the airport (on his way back through town), and Murphy has a birthday party that evening.

And Sunday is church and Georgia's seventh birthday (and party)!  Come Monday, they we are going to be exhausted.  And I have Zumba and tennis and swimming for all three and......

OK....one day at a time.....

For now, let's just hope Charlie decides to sleep all night.

Mother's Day +

I feel very thankful this Mother's Day.

My mom and I have a relationship that has never been stronger.  I love that.

It's not just that I have four sets of eyes that look up at me every single day that makes me so thankful.  It's that I have the honor of taking a part in making these four amazing keiki into the best little people they can be.  I have the privilege of waking up and to nonstop entertainment; to smiles and hugs and laughter.  I get to take the kids to their schools, and watch them progress in the activities they love: swim, dance, drums, violin.  I am able to see these amazing kids grow in every aspect of their lives.  From Charlie crawling to the bathroom when I tell her it's time to take a tubbies, to Millie writing her name, to Murphy "kicking butt" in Spanish class (even as the youngest kid!), to Georgia being a "model student."  From Charlie's face lighting up when she sees her siblings when they first wake up in the morning, to Millie coming up behind me saying "you're the bestest mommy I've ever had," to Murphy staying up until ten at night sitting on the basement stairs talking to me while I paint trim (then asking if he could help me with laundry), to Georgia going out of her way to help Millie during their buddy's birthday party.  I love the people that my kids are.  I love the people that my kids are becoming.  I couldn't ask for more.  Maybe a fifth.  Haha.

I am SO thankful.

But mostly, I am happy to share my special day with another "special" person.  Happy Birthday to Trevor Lincoln Kettrick.  I won't get you anything if you don't get me anything!

Can I live here please.

Classic Mil

"There's a heavy truck! You can put your wallet over there and it won't get squashed!" - too many Alluma wallet infomercials viewed?!