Happy Birthday to Caeli!

Happy birthday, my sweet girl!

Today you woke up a little grumpy, but when I told you "happy birthday!" your eyes lit up and you said, "Yes, it's MY birfday."

We had some school lessons where you played with your babies (today you played with Beth's American Girl doll, which you have pretty much claimed as your own).  You sat at your desk with her in your lap, colored, talked to her and yourself, and then changed her clothes.  I think you also put her down for a nap because you closed your door very gently and tiptoed away and told me, "Be quiet, my baby's sleeping."

After lunch we picked some carrots from the garden and you were so excited to eat one!

I also tried to pose you by the window for some photos but Mommy is rusty with the old camera, and you weren't really in a mood to smile.  But you were in a mood to talk- you're pretty much always in a mood to talk!

I spent some time pondering how much you are starting to look like Beth when she was your age.  You favor her in looks and in your love for books and dance, but you favor dolls and you definitely have some extra spunk in your step.  No doubt from trying to keep up with three big siblings who play with you like you're as old as they are!

That evening you got to Facetime with all of your grandparents, cousins, and Uncle Josh and Aunt Ramona.  You loved being able to hold the phone all by yourself, because these days, it's all about you doing everything all by yourself.

For days, you were so excited about choosing your own dessert for your birthday dinner, and you had the heavy influence of older siblings!  You finally decided on brownies and ice cream, though you don't care for the brownies as much as you do for the ice cream.  Knowing that, I gave you a tiny bit of brownies and an extra scoop of ice cream in your bowl!

We sang to you, and you sang along.  Because you love to sing, and you REALLY love when we are all focused on you at the same time.

Mommy and Daddy gave you a sticker pad (which you loved!), some new clothes, and on Saturday you'll receive your big gift- a balance bike!  We weren't able to give you that on the weekdays because the sun sets so early, and we wanted to be able to work with you during the day so you'd have the chance to try it out.  MawMaw and PawPaw gifted you a sweet little mass sweater and skirt, and your great-grandmother sent you $10 in the mail.

You went to bed with Daddy because he wanted to spend some special time with you.  I think you had a perfect little day for a new little three-year-old!  You are always so expressive and cheerful that you're able to turn any day into a party day!  We love you, baby girl.

Beth is 10!

Woah Darling, you're 10.  Ten years young.  Yesterday you declared, "I'm a decade old now!" and I couldn't help but think that you're not old, you're still so young!  You want so badly to be "old" and grown up.  You talk about getting a car (you hope Jenny will give you hers!) and what you will do/be when you grow up (an illustrator or a housekeeper!).  You want so badly to be given more privileges and to do more adult tasks.

I know you're going to make a GREAT adult one day, but there's no need to rush this growing up thing.  I try to tell you that being a kid is fabulous because you can try out new things whenever you want, but it's hard for you to sometimes find the joy in that- and that kills me because you are pretty much awesome at anything you put your mind to!   

For your birthday breakfast, I made you homemade cinnamon rolls- but you had to eat and run because Jenny took you on a special horseback riding expedition!  I always think your birthday is so special since it's right after Christmas and you always have family here to help you celebrate!  For dinner, Daddy smoked brisket and we had beans, creamed corn, and your favorite pickles.  We had a Texas sheet cake and Blue Bell ice cream- you went to the store with PawPaw to pick out the flavors you wanted (Homeade Vanilla and Mint Chocolate Chip).   Daddy and I gave you a new sewing basket, a "Big Sis" charm for your bracelet and some heart earrings.  You also received books, more earrings, and a special wallet. 

Daddy and I love you so, so very much.  So do your brothers and sister (even if they don't always show it!), your grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.  You are SO very loved, sweet girl.

Luke is EIGHT!

This birthday will forever be known as the birthday that tripled our Lego collection!  Luke has been talking for months about his birthday (he's always very enthusiastic about holidays!) and made it well-known to everyone that all he wanted was Legos!  He has brought me the little advertisement "magazine" from his previous Lego kits and pointed out the kits he wanted... he's been doing this for at least four months.  It made picking out his gift so much easier!  Beth desperately wanted to get him a Robin Hood dress up costume (which he liked but let's be honest... Jack loves it more) and I found a switch-blade hair comb on Amazon that I hoped would satisfy his desire for a pocket knife!  Once he figured out how to use it, he loved that too!

Grandma and Grandpa generously hosted his party, made him his favorite dinner (steak!), and then we had brownies and ice cream.  Luke knows what he wants, asks for it, and was pretty much in heaven the whole afternoon!

 

Happy 2nd Birthday, Caeli Rose

Two years have gone by since I gave birth to this amazing little girl.  A child who has brought me delight day in and day out.  She has brought me peace and multiplied my love in ways I didn't understand was possible.

As I ponder her second year, she has grown and changed like any one year old should.  She favors her siblings in her looks and in her mannerisms, but has a personality all of her own.  We all dote on her, even her big brothers are reduced to squealy-high voices when they talk about how cute she is!

Caeli still loves to wake up early and keep me company in the early mornings.  She and I will cuddle and read, or she will play with the saint peg dolls as I read.  Usually she prefers to sit with me.

She is very expressive, "talking" with her hands while explaining to me a very detailed story or singing us a song!  Her speech is growing and she definitely has a clear understanding of how to tell us what she has to say, even though we don't quite understand everything.  She's very possessive of everything, from toys to her stroller, her shoes, and even me!

She loves playing with her babies, rocking them up and down and shushing them to sleep.  She's been known to rock- and-shush anything from a dump truck to a shoe!

Caeli is a creature of habit.  She has rituals and routines and prefers that things go as she pleases.  As she falls asleep, usually in the crook of my elbow, she likes to stick her hand up my sleeve.  This has been a little more difficult in winter months when my sleeves have been tight around my wrists!  She also settles quickly this way when she's distressed, or when she's found her Nuk and she comes to me or a bit of cuddle time.  She always calls for "Nuk!" when she's sad about something, and over the past two weeks she's developed a funny self-soothing habit that involves coming into my bedroom, closing the door behind her, and rolling around on the carpet on my floor while she pouts and fusses.  I come in and check on her and ask if she needs anything, she tells me no, and I ask if she wants me to stay, she says no again, so I leave!  She comes out just fine after 10 minutes or so, sometimes she's raided my closet and comes out boasting a pair of mommy's heels!

She's obsessed with her Nuk. I've considered trying to wean her from it, but I can't wrap my head around taking something that she loves so much!  It's going to be painful when the day does come!

She always makes me smile, and I can't stay grumpy at her for very long!  We all love this girl- happy birthday Caeli Rose!  

Luke is SEVEN!

 We hope you had a happy day, Buddy!  The weather was wet so you had to miss your club, but we invited some of those boys over to our house and you got to play with your friends for a couple of hours!  Beth and her girl friends made some cupcakes for you, and it seemed like you had a really fun time!

Later in the afternoon, Grandma and Grandpa came over.  You tossed the football around in the backyard with Daddy and you opened your presents outside on the patio.  This year was LEGO year!  You got several new sets and accessories- and you were so excited!

Daddy and I love you so very much.  Beth, Jack, and Caeli love you too!  I hope these photos remind you of how happy you were on this day, and how very much you are loved by your family.  I expect this year will be full of more lost teeth, lots of growing (you're going to be tall like your Daddy one day!), running and playing, and of course Legos!

August

Sunday was my 33rd birthday.  And on my birthday, I always get very sentimental and resolute.  I think part of it is the time of year when a new school year is approaching (or, in our case, has already begun) and shiny new notebooks and fresh pencils always make me feel like I'm about to start something over again.

Having my birthday at this time of year has always been a way to make a "fresh start" for me.  I was always (always!) super excited about going to school on the first day and meeting the new kids- hoping to finally find a best girl friend or find the "right" boy who could be my highschool sweetheart (thankfully God had other plans for me!).  I loved shopping for new clothes, the hot pavement during summer band, and getting back into a routine again.

As an adult, I've had to make my own "fresh start" days throughout the year, and up until now the only times that really made sense were new years and lent.  But now that we have school-aged children, August has jumped out at me as, once again, a time for me to sort of start over.  Check on former resolutions and make new ones that are applicable to my life now.  God has ordered my life so that our "busy season" starts October, so August is a good time to form new habits before life gets crazy.

As my birthday passes and school days resume, the pools close down and extracurricular activities begin again, it's time to get back into the months of "normal" life.  As a creature that loves rhythm and predictability, this makes me SO happy.  My days are a little ordered right now: wake-eat-school-lunch-rest-free time-chores-dinner.  But as a gift to myself this year, I hope to add some self-care in this year.  Early morning workouts, leisurely rest with my sister-friends, and hobbies that unite me to the creative nature of our Lord.  These things will, hopefully and ideally, bring me peace and therefore help me to be a more attentive wife, mother, and teacher.

I just finished plowing through Teaching From Rest, and it was probably the best thing I've done for myself lately.  I enjoy reading Mackenzie's colloquial writing; it's easy to push through it when there's lots of noise and distractions around me. ;-)  It was so encouraging to me, in so many ways, and yesterday might have been our best morning of homeschooling yet because I was able to re-focus on my true goal of our schoolwork: virtue.  I remembered, what good am I doing if I yell at them for dawdling when I could probably just as easily make it memorable teaching moment if I went up to them and gently whispered in their ear?  How is me YELLING at them setting the example of VIRTUE when it's the exact opposite of how I want them to treat each other?  And ironically, Beth read about being a hypocrite in bible history... 

For so long, I feel like I've shunned being good to myself.  I've been a martyr of sorts, thinking that being scrupulous is a "better" sin.  It's not.  It's still a sin. 

So I hope to take better care of myself now.  To honor my body as a temple of the Holy Spirit by taking care of it, including gently telling my kids no when they want to eat my food (because I need nourishment too). To not feel bad about myself when I feel left out of friendships or conversations, but instead to leave my comfort zone and jump in.  To forgive myself when I fail to live up to my high standards.  To leave room in our schedule for peace and quiet instead of being rushed and frantic, and to not feel guilty for taking some personal time off.


I know, it seems like I'm always making resolutions.  At least, it always feels that way to me!  But I love the challenge, and I love that it gives me a new chance to reconnect with the Lord using knowledge that is new to me.  I do see personal growth in myself- at least I see the opportunity for growth!  I just hope that when it's all said and done, and God asks me what I did with my life, I can at least tell him I tried my absolute best.

A Birthday Week Recap

This year, birthday week started with a goodbye as I left to take the kids to San Marcos for a weekend to visit my sister.  Ryan had a business trip planned for a few nights and I just needed to get away for a few days, so we said our goodbyes on Sunday afternoon and I braced for the car trip alone with four kids.

Of course, they did great.  Well, Jack started the familiar chorus of, "How much longer?" about 30 minutes into the trip!  He wasn't interested in any books, coloring pages, audiobooks, or any other activities I had planned for him, so the poor kid just stared out the window and half-cried the second half of the trip!

We arrived in the early evening and took a stroll around her apartment complex.  They dipped their feet in the pool (more on that later!) and played in the workout room for a few minutes.  We had a snack and Jenny read them books for at least half an hour before they reluctantly went to bed.

 

Jenny had to work the next morning for a few hours, so I took the kids to HEB to gather some groceries for our stay.  I guess it's unusual to have a big family in a college town because we got a lot of stares. ;-)  After dropping off the groceries, we went to a nearby park- one of my favorite parks of all time.  It's so awesome for big kids and little kids!  They had a blast while it was still cool in the early morning.

 

We walked along the river banks afterward and the kids dipped their toes in the water.  Then they got in, laughing and shivering and not quite believing how clear the water really was!

After lunch and a quick rest time, we drove out to the outlet mall for some shopping.  Beth almost got her ears pierced but decided that she wanted to do it without her brothers around.  I think she's a little nervous!  Instead, the boys got some shoes and the girls got some clothes!

We promised that they could play in the pool that afternoon so when we got home, everyone suited up. I planned to stay back with Caeli, make dinner, and then meet them there, but the unthinkable happened: the pool was closed.  The kids were devastated!!!  It was so upsetting!  We promised to find a place to swim the next day, they watched some tv, and went to bed. 

On Tuesday, everyone was up around 7 am (that's late for them!) and we got ready to go exploring at a local touristy spot.  We took a train through a petting zoo of sorts, descended into an underground cave, took an elevator up to 150 feet above the ground so we could observe the (extinct) fault line, and went into a "zero gravity house" that gave me a headache!

Descending into the cave

Looking into Edward's aquifer, at the purest water you've seen in your entire life.

 

We brought a picnic and went home.  Everyone was exhausted and Luke and Caeli had naps.

That afternoon we all got into our swimsuits and went down to the river for some swimming.  The kids didn't realize how cold it would be, but they gathered their courage and jumped in!  Luke led the way- I was so impressed! 

They watched a movie after dinner, and went to bed.  The next day we left right after breakfast to come home and meet Ryan for his birthday!

Ryan had told me that he'd made plans for us that night, so his parents came in to watch the kids so we could go out.  First we went to a new Mexican restaurant, then he surprised me with tickets to an Incubus concert that he'd won from work.  We were early though (well, we didn't like the opening act!) so we went to grab a drink first, then stayed for part of the concert before heading home.  It was fun, but we hadn't heard any of their new album, and honestly it was too loud.  Oh, our aging, aching ears!  Ha ha.

 

Thursday was a normal day, and Friday we all packed up to go to Ryan's parent's house.  They're moving, so we had one last gathering there with Ryan's brother and nephew.  We had a great time, celebrating lasts and remembering firsts.

 

 

We came home Saturday night so we could go to mass at our parish on Sunday, for my birthday.  I really wanted to go to our parish on my birthday, so I was happy that everyone agreed to that!  We had brunch with friends afterward, and when we came home I baked my birthday cake- a tres leches.  Yum!

I had a quick nap and went out for a quick shopping trip because, well, I like to shop on my birthday.  It's dumb but I just kind of like to start my new year with something new.  It was largely unsuccessful- I just bought a black t-shirt!

I came home to a pitcher of margaritas and a bunch of happy adults, ready to party and grill some burgers!

I saved all the cards I had gotten in the mail that week (from my grandmothers, parents, and our realtor, haha) and opened them after cake.  It's the way we did it growing up and it's comforting to me to continue those traditions!  We said goodbye after 9 and put the kids to bed.  And Ryan and I crashed at 10:00!

At this point, you'd think our crazy birthday week was over, but Ryan had one last surprise for me!  He told me that I had plans on Monday night, picked out an outfit for me, and told me to be ready at 6:30 pm.  I had a hunch I was being picked up and I was right!  Three girlfriends rang the bell and jokingly told me to grab my suitcase cause we were going to the airport! They brought me a giant balloon, birthday tiara, and clip-on earrings and whisked me away!

I had no idea where we were going, so when we showed up at a restaurant to a table set with 14 or so seats, I was pretty flabbergasted!  And nervous- I was pretty sure I didn't even know 14 people who would come to celebrate my birthday!

One by one, ladies walked in.  I was amazed because I hadn't prepared myself for any of this, so each person was a surprise to me!  Especially my dear friend who drove over an hour with her baby to come!

I was truly touched and honored.  I received several sweet, thoughtful gifts and as each one of them told me happy birthday, I was near tears.  It was so moving and special to me.

While I was surprised, I'm also not surprised at all.  I know that Ryan is amazing, and for him to call and email and text all of these people (or their husbands!), make a reservation, and kick me out of the house for a night of fun is sooo him.  He spoils me so much, and I know!  And to round everything out, he stayed home an extra 45 minutes this morning to let me sleep in a bit and brought me my morning latte before heading to work.  He's so thoughtful, and pretty perfect. 

And he definitely won birthday week this year. :)