The Sweetest Things, 2014, Q2

This entry marks the ending to the longest drought in the history of these Salad Days. While my natural inclination is to beat myself up about my lack of writing and compare myself to all the moms I know who are just so much more on top of things than I, I'm going to intentionally let those feelings go. I am choosing to offer myself the same grace that I so easily seem to grant to others. So straight from one quarter to the next, here goes...

Reminiscing on The Sweetest Things of 2014, Q2,

1. Big Girl Backyard Birthday Blowout...twenty-one days into the month of April, something astounding happened: our precious, firstborn baby girl turned six. I always knew that this birthday would feel 'big' to me. Something about six just seems so much older than any year before it.
   
   I blinked. This happened.
   As it turned out, Carter's birthday fell on the Monday after Easter Sunday and the first day back to school following spring break. This made party planning a bit tricky, but I can't say that I really encouraged her in the party department (I actually BEGGED her to skip a party this year and offered her double presents or a special getaway if she'd do so). Miss Social wouldn't hear of it and had very specific ideas of what she wanted her sixth blow-out to entail: panning for gold, pin the tail on the 'Boo', and a piñata were non-negotiables. And, similar to her four year old fiesta, a party at a party venue was out of the question. The wisest move I made in the party planning was enlisting the services of Carter's favorite acting teacher.  She and I pow-wowed (over Carter's wish-list, of course) to come up with a party itinerary, and she pretty much ran the entire thing on the big day.
   
   Miss Michelle.
   
   She rocks.
   
   Excited. Beyond. Words.
   
   Kiddos engaged in pantomime game. Murphy cautiously observing.
   {Note: cool piñata from Target.}
   
   A pleased crowd.
   
   Carter's game idea, though slightly amended, was a big hit.
   
   Took some thinking to implement this request.
   Carter wrote 'Booty Bags' on each of the cellophane collection bags.
   
   This activity was a big hit.
   The 400 pounds of sand proved to be a challenge a few weeks later for our move...
   
   Boo Birthday Cake. Adorable and delicious.
   
   A fun and rowdy bunch.
   Despite being less than enthused about hosting a birthday party in our backyard in the midst of such a busy season in our life, this day was really one of my favorite days over the past few months. I love how each and every aspect came straight from the mind of our imaginative, creative, out of the box thinking little big girl.
2. Sickday Snugglefests...similar to the time I mentioned my best girlfriend being diagnosed with cancer as being a sweet thing, this one is going to take some explaining. Though our little family had been fortunate in avoiding most all of the winter germies over the course of the school year, we were hit late, and we were hit hard. The first, and probably the worst of the yuckies actually came during the week leading up to Carter's birthday party. She'd requested her favorite home cooked meal, blueberry French toast, for dinner on her actual birthday.
   
   Yum. Yum
   Unfortunately, when I greeted Wright the next morning to find her entire crib covered in the blueberry French toast, it did not look quite as appealing.
   
   Sweet, sick angel.
   Baby Wright spread the love, and so began our family's first ever onslaught of the throw-ups. It went through the house like wildfire; even my poor mom, who'd only come to help, fell victim. Luckily, Murphy and I were sick simultaneously, so we didn't need to worry about contaminating each other. She and I were bed-bound for about 30 hours.
   
   This. Was. Rough.
   Thinking of it as a pre-swimsuit season crash diet didn't really help...
   Even in her weakened state, my pop princess could still entertain.
   Fortunately, Carter continued her lifetime stretch of having never had a tummy bug, and our newly six year old avoided catching the 'yucky burps' (love this term as coined by a dear friend's son). Incidentally, a couple weeks later, she was prescribed her first antibiotic EVER for bronchitis. Again, I hated that my sweet angel felt so puny, but I loved that our usually busy, busy, busy girl took some time to give her mama some extra lovin while she missed a few days of school. Unfortunately, the sicknesses, didn't end there, poor Wrighty had two ear infections AND strep throat all in the next two months. {I was pretty happy she chose not to share those strep germs.}
   
   Pitiful. Pitiful and precious.
   For the first time since her infancy, she rounded out a 16 hours stretch of sleep by sleeping soundly on my chest.
   
   My arm was asleep. I was starving. I had to pee. It was almost noon.
   I so did not even care.
   I HATE it when my babies are sick, but I sure do love the chance to spoil them with extra snuggles.
3. Milehigh Getaway...though Carter spent the first four years of her life in Denver, Colorado, I'd been noticing that she seemed to be remembering less and less about it. When I mentioned people or places, her memory was hazy at best. With Lindsay's encouragement - and after stumbling across some crazy-cheap direct flight plane tickets - I booked a surprise weekend trip for just the two of us for the first weekend in May. Leading up to that weekend, I'd given her hints that a surprise was coming. Initially, she'd guessed little things like a new toy or a pedicure. Then on the day before our trip, she really threw me a curveball when she said she thought we were going on a DISNEY CRUISE. Crap. Damn you Disney Jr. commercials. Now, instead of blowing her mind with this awesome surprise, I was scared of a major letdown. When I showed up at her classroom to pick her up for an early dismissal, she was pretty stoked. It wasn't until we arrived at the airport in Greensboro that I revealed the surprise.
   Genuinely excited.
   It was refreshingly easy flying with just one child. While she worked on her thank you notes for her birthday gifts, I read Rob Lowe's latest book on my iPad.
   
   Her American Girl, Nora, was our constant companion.
   It really felt like I was traveling with a best girlfriend. Some of our dearest friends from our time in Denver, Nick and Wendy, offered their home to Carter and me for our stay. As always, their hospitality was nothing short of impeccable. Carter had a BLAST playing with their boys (they have three of them) - so much so that she often didn't want to leave the house!
   
   One of my favorite pics of her. 
   Ever.
   She whispered in my ear in the midst of an especially fun afternoon backyard play session, 'Mommy, you know what I love about theses guys? They do whatever I want!' Oh dear. Chatting with Ms. Wendy is just about one of my favorite things in the world to do; I spent many hours doing just that while snuggling her sweet baby Cole. The weather during our visit reminded me of what I miss most about Colorado.
   
   Sunshine. Clear skies. Zero humidity. Perfection.
   We caught up with our friends Kelsey and Marin over a tasty brunch at Snooze. It was just as delicious as I'd remembered and hoped it would be.
   
   Friends since the Puppy class at Wellshire.
   Kelsey and I enjoyed apple juice mimosas on a Friday because, why not? We enjoyed seeing the Nichols' new house and Carter got down to the business of backyard exploration. I could have sat in that backyard all day chatting and laughing with Kels. Though our friendship was brief, we formed a quick bond and I miss her so! A few other 'musts' on Carter's list were the American Girl Store, Duffy Roll, and Mici.
   
   Nora got her hair styled, and
   Carter chose a new parasol for her dolls.
   
   We pretty much ate our way through Denver.
   Though I have no pictures of our delicious lunch at Mici, it was spent with another special friend, Stefanie, who is now expecting her first baby. I loved hearing how life has changed for her in the past two years. (She and Justin got married the weekend we moved to Charlotte.)
   
   The beauty of Colorado as seen from Cranmer Park.
   We spent several hours visiting with the Gibsons and the Bizerras who were kind to join together for a combined visit. Again, Katie and Amy are two gals who I feel so fortunate to have quickly bonded with during our time in Colorado. When we met, we each had one child; we now have TEN amongst the three of us! 
   
    The crew, minus the babies.
   On our final evening, Wendy and I snuck out after bedtime for dessert and a drinky-poo at Euclid Hall. {Those s'mores. Oh. My.} Once again, the time I spent just catching up with girlfriends made the entire trip worthwhile. From beginning to end, this was such a sweet time for Carter and me. Randomly, throughout the weekend, she'd say, 'I just can't believe we're here!' I mean, it was no Disney Cruise, but still...
4. Home Sweet HOME...my last post gave a little hint to this exciting event, but finally after seven years of renting and two years of searching for the right house for our family, on May 9 we closed on our new home.
   
   Moments before signing the papers.
   
   3025 Sharon Road
   Charlotte, North Carolina
   
   Turning the key.
   The weeks leading up to the closing were stressful for both Lindsay and me. He handled everything to get us into the house as far as the bankers, paperwork, loan, etc... while I agreed to handle everything that would need to be done once we were in the house. This meant arranging contractors, choosing paint colors, floor finishes, interior design details, etc... We proved to be a pretty good team, and when the actual moving day - Memorial Day weekend - finally came around, we were both an interesting mix of excited and exhausted. Before the moving truck was even unloaded, my oldest (in terms of years of friendship, not years on earth) friend, arrive on my doorstep motivated and willing to help get things unpacked and organized.
   
   Flowers for me. Chips and salsa for Lindsay.
   She knows us, and loves us, so well.
   (I'm planning to devote an entire post to all the fun aspects of our home/decorating, so I'll save all those pictures for later.) But this thing, this whole idea of owning a home, of having a place that is ours, walls within which we will raise our family, where we will laugh and cry together. The idea that we have bought something that will now be the external structure for the housing of our life feels a bit overwhelming at times. Something about renting for so many years had, unintentionally, kept me from really thinking about our family as being just that: A FAMILY. I suppose because I always knew that our house was temporary,  maybe it was hard to think of the idea of home as permeant? Whatever the reason, I sometimes have to pinch myself to believe that this is real. I love our house. I love our home. I love our family. And I love dreaming of all that is to come. 
5. The Maturation of the Murph...if you know my middle in real life or even through this blog, then you know she has come with challenges, and 'figuring her out' has often been on the top of my mom to-do list. In recent months, she's shown signs of maturity that have really exceeded any expectations I would have (but didn't) set. A perfect example came on the evening of April 3, when I went to tuck her in bed.
   
   Earlier that same day. 
   The day she'd turned three and a half.
   When I walked into her room, I found her under the covers wearing socks on her hands. While she does often have interesting choices for her sleeping attire, this still came as a surprise. When I asked what it was about, she said, 'Three and a halfs don't suck their thumbs. These socks will help me stop.' She had both come to this conclusion and thought of this solution all on her own. Now, did she stop sucking her thumb? No. But I loved that she gave it her very best three and a half year old effort.
   
   The next morning. No more sock mittens.
   Still wearing the swimsuit, tap shoes, necklace, and flower halo she'd sleep in.
   While quite comfortable in the little sister role in relation to Carter, she's easing in to the big sis role with Wright.
   
   Helping her along. Taking it slow.
   She loves being my helper and is quick to do things around the house without being asked. She'll put my shoes in the closet when I've (irresponsibly) left them out or clean up messes that Wrighty is constantly making. One morning, she overheard me talking about possibly going on a picnic and presented me with this:
   
   So proud of herself.
   She loves her puzzles and has finally taken an interest in letters and numbers. Actually, I think she's known them all along, she's just now wanting to let me in on her secret. I've also been impressed with (and surprised by!) her swimming skills; her underwater flip is Olympic caliber. (Slight exaggeration. Slight.) She and Carter are often mistaken for twins, which cracks me up, given that they are two and a half years apart in age, and continue to be the best of besties.
   
   The Murph is always camera ready.
   Yet, when Carter decides to put on her bossy pants, Miss Murph has no problem holding her own.
   
   Or, rather, just not giving a rat's behind, which only infuriate Carter even more.
   
   Sometimes they just need a little 'sitting and thinking' 
   to remember that they really do love each other.
   Murphy seems to captivate people. Teachers love her. Doctors love her. Others kids love her. Yet, she is often evasive towards others. She's an interesting girl, My Murph, and these past few months have been big for her.
   
   Kissing this face goodnight each night reminds me of why I wake up every morning.
6. Pictures of Perfection...life, folks, life is hard. I began this series three years ago as a way to stop and reflect on all the good things that comes in a life that is often times hard. The thing is, if I chose to, I could write a list much longer than this one of all the tough things that happened during the last few months. We had some rough times for sure. Notice there's little mention of our Itty Bitty? That's because she's found her voice, and by voice I mean the shrill voice that screams and tantrums for no reason at all for much of the day. Not much talk about my hubby? That's because he's been so slammed at work that he's barely even been able to enjoy our new home. And though I was able to see the good that came from all the sickness, weeks of unhealthy girlies sure can weigh a mommy down. Yet in the midst of the tough stuff, there are always moments, glimpses, pictures of perfection. Pictures that need no explanation. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   I'm hoping that as life slows down, my blogging will pick back up. I miss it, that's for sure; but this was a good place to start. It's always, always good to reflect on and express gratitude for all that is good. 
   Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above...
   James 1:17