Baby Girl

Someday I will look back on your fifth birthday and realize how small you still were, but not today.

Someday, I will look back and pray that you are only five again as I did at only one, only two, only three and only four, but not today.

Someday, I will wish back this year, this silliness, this delightful age, but not today. 

Someday, I will want to hold five-year-old you in my arms again, but not today.

Someday, I will think five is still little, but not today.

Today, I look back at the five years I have held you in my arms and see how much you have grown. I watched your tiny tears fade and your silly smile cover your beautiful face. I have heard you utter your first word, and my ears have swollen hearing every word since. I watched you take your first step, caught you when you took your first tumble, and now I run along side you to witness the athlete you are becoming. I rubbed your bald head each night and sang a sweet song my voice cracking all the while, and now I brush and braid your hair each morning and we rock out along to the radio. You had a rough start, I held you night after night, day after day, barely leaving your side until we began to see some progress, and say that first silly smile. We are truly blessed to begin to get a handle on keeping you the happy and healthy, beautiful gift from God that you are....No longer a little kid, truly a big girl, and always my baby.

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On the Road Again...

Have you ever taken your children on a road trip?
I mean a LOOOOOONG road trip,1,100 miles from home.
We did, and it was way better than I anticipated. Check out the Details.

Although I was virtually terrified about the trip, I continually re-assured my husband everything would be perfect and the children would transition smoothly from our normal airline trips to this driving adventure to Florida.

The trip itself began super smoothly indeed! The car was packed and children in their seats comfortably snacking just after lunchtime, nearly exactly when we had planned on leaving.

The drive was virtually uneventful, the children slept (afternoon nap time), until we arrived in the Carolinas', where we were able to stop for dinner at Outback (using a gift card that was about 10 years old - yay for CT for not letting them expire). After a quick stretch and a change into pajamas (just for the children ;) and back on the road again.

A few more stops for gas, bathroom and stretches and we reached Florida! The children did SO well! They did not utter the dreaded "Are we there yet", until roughly 30 minutes from the Hotel! Then it was off the the EXPO, and a much needed shower and dinner!

Yay for awesome kids!

Are you thinking of taking a trip?

Here are some MUSTS:

1. Start talking about the “adventure.” It was going to be fun and exciting, and I wanted the kids to be just as excited as I was.
2. Load up on books and other media! Grab a handful of books and DVDs new to you, and separate them into two bags, one for the way there and one for the way back.
3. A good list is a must. As a mom I never leave home without a container of baby wipes and an extra change of clothes for my little ones.
4. Pack “surprises” for your tiny travelers. The dollar store is my go-to for this! I grabbed cute reusable bags, and filled them with coloring books, crayons, books, stickers, tattoos and snacks.
5. Make stops! This is the biggest non-negotiable! Believe me, I would have loved my 22 hour drive to have only been 18 , but I realized that this was my children’s first long road trip. So, we stopped at every time we went below a-half-a-tank, filled up, used the restrooms and did a good-old-fashioned stretch.
6. Talk with your kids! Lets face it, kids won't sit quietly in a car. We sang, chatted and viewed all sorts of things we passed.
7. Pack snacks. All sorts of favorite things, especially those that they have not had in awhile. 
8. Make mess stoppers! I have a brand new vehicle and I don't like messes, but we are driving... for 20 hours.... with three kids. I made trays for them to hold their snacks, AND allow them to have a flat surface for reading and drawing. 

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Not another Birthday!

 
Milestones.
We hear about them from other moms, doctors, magazines and yet some don't phase us at all. Then, out of no where. BAM!
One slaps you right in the face... ONE....
The first tooth is cute, first smile is amazing, first steps astonishing... all firsts that I have witnessed with pure joy in my heart, it didn't matter how young these milestones were reached.
That first birthday is a painful, sorrowful experience for this mom!
My oldest son's first birthday was THE worst. I felt like my baby was taken away from me...
My daughter's first birthday was ironically not as awful, while she was walking around and talking, she was still a bald-headed beauty... still my little baby.
My youngest son's first birthday is slowly breaking my heart, as much as I long for just. one. more. baby. I know it will be extremely difficult to get the hubs on board. So not only am I saddened by my little walking, babbling, brilliant baby becoming a climbing, screaming toddler and leaving his "months" behind, but I am also mourning the fact that our home may never again be graced with the presence of an infant.
It's HIS day, I know this...
I will continue to celebrate him and all that he is for YEARS to come, but for now, I am going to hold him for as long as he'll let me, and "pretend" he's 11 and 1/2 months old for just a little bit longer.

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