PreK to College ~ What Happened?!

Completely caught off guard, Abigail runs to me after Daddy brings her home from from vising her surrogate Grandmother and hands me a bright pink flier saying... 

"Mommy, please read this important special paper", folding her hands in front of her in the prim-n-proper little way that she does. 

It is an invite.... to her PreSchool Graduation Program.

Reading each line aloud, smiling yet crying more with each word... All I can think is,

How is this happening?! lol

She JUST STARTED PreK!

I was JUST sobbing uncontrollably in the hall as I watched her class get further and further away from me (after managing to hold it together until she couldn't see me anymore, of course) on her first day of school, clutching my wrist where we had drawn a smiley, peace sign and heart on ourselves so we could think of each other every time we looked at it on that momentous day.

It may have been nearly a year ago... but the days, hours, minutes.. where have they gone?? 

Somehow even in the midst of grasping on to each day as if it were the last, excitedly helping her with her once-a-week homework, watching her carefully (and eclectically) get her school clothes ready every night,  helping her choose something for 'Show & Tell' for every Thursday morning and eagerly asking her how her day went everyday when I picked her up.....

Somehow it all passed us right by, and now our baby girl who we brought home at just 4.5 pounds is graduating PreK and will be starting Kindergarten. :(

{....crying again....} 

All of these tiny milestones keep creeping up on us, and no matter what they are, they grasp my heart and instantly remind me that these precious times are just that; Precious.

I cry now for the woman in me that will one day be as I sit on the bleachers on the day of her High School Graduation crying at the years that passed us by... wishing I was only crying at her PreK Graduation Day again, rather than getting her packed for college. 

I cry now for the woman in her that she will one day be... Not because I don't want her to grow up, but because she must grow up. 

She must face this world as a Woman, Adult & Individual. 

And if we as parents {in general} are sure to remember exactly WHY we are living, working, breathing...

If we are sure to allow ourselves to FEEL and CRY in these times so that we are reminded to slow down and ENJOY our little ones during these precious years that we'll never get back ...

It is then that we can be sure to give them the quality kind of CARE, LOVE and ATTENTION that they need to one day face this world confidently, intentionally, thoughtfully and successfully.

These 5 years have gone by in a flash, and it is our promise to you, Abber-dabbers, that we'll be here for you at your every achievement/milestone, with smiles on our faces and with tears swelling in our eyes. 

Mommy & Daddy loves you baby... And we're so very proud of you. 

You're sweet, caring, creative, smart, loving, intuitive, polite and you love to learn. 

What more could we ever expect of you. <3

What the Sun Does to Her

Oddly enough, right in the middle of Spring... the Sun came out!

It does not go unnoticed up here in Washington, especially with Abigail and, I'm sure, the rest of the Pacific NW children.

She rises quickly on a weekend morning, the sun only just barely peaking through the crack in her window.  The clouds are still huge and heavy in some places, and the wind remains, but even the back and forth between the Sun and the grey is enough to make her Aura instantly vibrant and energized.

All morning she has consistently asked me in many polite, Abigail-like ways if I would go watch her out front while she played...

WHY is the front yard so much better than the back yard?? LOL I'll never know. The backyard is bigger!

"Mommy...  would you so kindly, if you mind, you could watch me as your beautiful self.. um... in the front yard while I run and jump and play?"

<bats eyes, smiles and tilts head>

She's... irresistible, really.

She is amazing, smart, bright, kind, polite, stubborn, FREE, beautiful, and strong... She is SUCH my daughter.

It is the middle of the day now and she dances and twirls in the front yard sporting her multi-colored striped tights, her pink jumpsuit (as she calls it), a long sleeved shirt underneath, her shiny black dress shoes with her favorite lip gloss on.

She picks some of our Lavender and holds it out in her hand...

"Close your eyes and smell that, Mom."... as she lovingly smiles. 

She's just so beautiful to me, inside and out.

We ran giggling as I chased her around the yard for at least 5 minutes. She makes me feel like a kid again.

Children are the most amazing, magical beings we are so blessed to have and to raise, love and cherish.

I love all of our children, even if they drive me nuts half the time.

Life would not be the same without them.

Happy Sunday  :) 

Little Miss Fashionista

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While the rest of us were getting ready for a day trip to Olympia, WA to have lunch with some friends we made in Occupy who traveled from WA, DC, Abigail ran around the house in her “fashionable” and well thought out outfit loudly expressing her excitement to try a new Indian restaurant.

Daddy had just finished getting ready and sat down while he waited on the rest of us to get ready (and by that, I mean Mommy. But I have to get everything else ready for the day ahead!). He asked Abi to come to him so he could brush her hair when he asked her (being jokingly serious … ? Yes, that works)…

“Abigail, are you sure that black dress coat is “fashionable” (a term our daughter has re-defined) with your outfit? I’m sure the rainbow sweater with the hood would go much better”, he says with a smirk to be funny, but was actually making an honest observation.  

Abigail tends to match some pretty random articles of clothing together by pairing cowgirl boots,  tutu’s and small dress coats with pants and halter tops.

Free expression is encouraged in our household. It keeps  things interesting to say the least!

“That’s OK, you don’t have to listen to me. I’m just the stylist”, he continued as she stood with hands on her hips looking at him like… “REALLY DAD??”

It was then when I chimed in and said, “Yeah babe, maybe go get your black boots to match your dress coat.”

She then lovingly walked over to me, put her hand on my shoulder and said, 

“Mommy, please stay out of this.”

LOL OH that child…

Our daughter is a little fashion diva and has been since she was big enough to walk and talk. It may have been the princess movies she watched, or the ballerina movies and her obsession of becoming a rock star that inspired her “fashionista” personality, but it certainly wasn't from me . Sure I dress well when I need to and may have my own sense of layed-back-hippie-style but it is not in my nature to stand in front of the mirror and prep for very long. Brush the hair, throw on some facial lotion, minimal make-up and some lip gloss and I’m done!

Abigail will change several times in one day, and when she knows something is coming up that she will soon be attending, she will pick her outfit out ahead of time with every piece carefully thought out.

Her murmurs can be heard from her room as she giggles and says things like… “This will go PERFECT with this tutu.” (EVERYTHING should be accompanied by a tutu, according to Abigail) “Oh yes.. this will be fashionable. Daddy will approve.”

Daddy is her personal stylist. This is just something that developed organically over the years. To be specific, he is also the Chef and (main) Gardener. :)  I am the glue. I keep everyone and everything in order (and I use that word lightly), delegating tasks to keep the house in some sort of decent condition, while also being sure we have fun along the way. 

But it is Daddy who, when we go to our favorite thrift store full of very lightly used/like-new clothing for children to replenish Abigail’s wardrobe (Shout out to Tiny Hiney's in Vancouver, WA!), is the one who picks out all of the clothes which are usually as funky and unique as our Abber-dabbers.

It will be interesting to see if this pans out over the years as she gets older.

<3 MHM