We like, we like to party

There is a whole lotta stuff that goes into a birthday party, ya'll.  We have always had home parties with the family and neighbors.  This year, turning 4, warranted an actual party.  The kind where you leave the house, wear a party dress, and get balloons.  Yeah, that kind.

But first, there is a lot of preparation that goes into the idea that all birthday parties have to be on Saturday or Sunday.  I'm getting ready to veto that rule, by the way.  Anyways, so her actual birthday was on Thursday.  Cake baking #1, because as every birthday princess knows, you have to take cupcakes to school on your birthday.

So off she goes to school with her birthday cupcakes.  Phase One, complete.

Before the big party, we have to actually celebrate on the day she was born.  We decided to take her out for steak and salad (yes, my child LOVES salad) and we went to Longhorn.

These two spell t-r-o-u-b-l-e.

Longhorn gives kids a free sundae on their birthday.

It is not her birthday, but she has to taste and see that it is good.

What did we get, Belle Belle?

I decided I was NOT going to let her birthday sneak up on me this year.  We went the day after Christmas and picked out her invitations, napkins, plates, etc., so that we would have everything we needed for the big day.  We decided for her first big girl birthday, we would just invite neighbors and classmates.  It was sad to have to cut the list down some, but ya'll let me get the hang of this thing first and then I'll be able to invite everyone.  Plus, this was the "maiden voyage".  Ok, so anyways, after Christmas, I realize that even if I get the invitations out that day, all of her classmates are gone.  Yep, two kids in the whole class.  And not much better after that.  They finally came back after New Years which gave the Moms a whopping 3 days before the party.  Yep, operation don't let it sneak up on me, FAILED.  

Finally the big day arrives!  In spite of the late invitations, we had a great turn out!  Annabelle's Granny, Grandaddy Jim, Pee Paw, Mee Maw, Uncle Cracker, and Aunt Maddie all came along with the next door neighbors on both sides!  We also had four classmates and even the Teacher!  There is a lot of love between that class.  When the teacher comes, and all of the kids beam at the sight of her coming in the room, you know there is love.

We had her party at Brick Oven Pizza on Gay Street.  I CANNOT say enough good things about them.  I called about 4 times getting all the details covered and Dawn always helped me even if they were busy.  We were given the big room all to ourselves, no charge.  We were given a pizza cooking lesson, no charge.  We were given a pizza dough tossing show, no charge.  I just cannot tell you how much fun we had and what a GREAT job they did.

I made the cake and next year, I will let Publix do it!  Three cakes made in two days!

Getting ready to toss the dough!

Then you spread the sauce . . .

Don't eat it yet, Macy.

Good pizza made by fabulous chefs.

So now, I sit down and relax!  Ahhhh.  First real big girl party was a success thanks to friends, family, a great day care class, and a fabulous restaurant.

Four seems so much older than Three . . .

Tomorrow is a milestone in the Taylor household.  My "baby" turns 4.  This may not seem so moving to anyone else, but it is incredibly moving to me.  Tomorrow, I tell toddler hood for her, goodbye.

 

Tomorrow is the anniversary of an early Saturday morning when I first felt the pangs of labor.  When I rolled over and nudged Ben to "wake up, I think I'm in labor".  "Its okay", he says, "Go back to sleep".  My thoughts:  Wow.  This is going to be a long day.  Finally after convincing him I was actually in labor (and a couple of other really gross signs of labor) we get ready to go to the hospital where I will inevitably spend the next three days. 

 

How do you explain to someone the feeling of your heart outside your body? 

 

How do you begin to summarize the feeling of all your hopes and dreams born into the world and handed to you on a blanket?  Glimpses of the very moment in time when the world stood still and the only thing that existed was this new baby.  Not the doctor, not the nurses --- Just. Her.  Her face, looking at me.

 

 

 

How do you explain to someone the fear of bringing her home?  That she depends on me?  Sure I kept her safe for 10 months, but that was natural.  What about this?  How do you explain in a sleep deprived mental state that some of the most treasured memories pondered in my heart are from 1, 2 even 3 am when she would curl her hand around my pinkie as she finally fell asleep?  How scared I was when I had to hand her over to day care when I went back to work?  Would they know what she wanted?  What if she cried for me, and I wasn't there? 

 

How do you explain to someone the feeling of your heart outside your body?

 

When she started to sit up.  The first time she scooted across the room (to the fat cat that she had been eyeing for months).  The first time she let go of the coffee table and walked across the living room.  The first time she went a whole day without a bottle.  The first time she slept in a big girl bed.  The first time she really went potty. 

 

Tomorrow, she is 4.  Where did it go?  What happened to that little baby?  She grew up.  And I watched.  I watched my heart grow outside my body.

 

If I, so infinitely human, dwell and ponder all these milestones and love with a love I never knew could exist before, how much more does my heavenly Father love me?  More than my mind can comprehend.  After all, He gave her to me, and I am better because of it.

A December to Remember

And, no, I did not get a Lexus.  Nor do I need one. 

We had a HUGE December.  First, Annabelle had her very first dance presentation!  She did so well.  In the words of Baby's mother, I think she gets that from me.

I mean, look at that form!  Granted, no one else is in the leg out position, but that's fine.  She's dancing to her own tune and looking fabulous if I do say so myself.

On to the Taylor Christmas.  Since November, Annabelle has been asking for a Barbie doll house.  Well, Santa was able to make that trip with one for her this year.  But first, we had to make a trip to the mall to ask  Santa for it.  I guess I forgot the part about sitting on his lap, building rapport, you know, that kind of thing.  Yeah, so she walks right up to him and says, "I want a Barbie doll house, okay?  Bye" and off she goes.  Didn't even stay to get her candy cane.  Brief, to the point, and decisive.  That's Annabelle.

Macy wanted NO part of speaking to Santa.  He could just as well leave her alone.  Macy was easy as she goes for Christmas this year.  No requests, just along for the party.  We made a white birthday cake to celebrate Jesus' birthday, and made chocolate chip cookies for Santa.  Late Christmas Eve afternoon, we walked behind our house to look for "reindeer" tracks.  We found tons and the girls were just sure that Santa knew exactly where their house was this year.

Going to bed that night was testy.  Annabelle wanted to sleep in our room because she has been having nightmares, but that would have exposed the whole "Santa" debacle, so mean parents that we are, we made her sleep in her bed.  Barbie house constructed in less than one hour, pretty good.  Scooters set out along with the presents that were hidden all over the house, and off to bed we go. 

 (side note:  All of our presents are inspected for quality control by inspector # 4756 aka Tinkerbelle)

I could not WAIT!!  I think I was more excited than they were.  Up at 4:15 am, back to sleep, then up again at 5:30 anxiously awaiting the girls to get up and see their gifts. 

Any other time, those kids would have been up at 5:30 am.  Nope.  Six, Six thirty, Seven.  I gave the dog her gift.  After that, I was getting impatient.  So I got the big kid up out of the bed with a steaming cup of coffee to come wait with me.  FINALLY they got up!!!

Yes, Macy came out of her bedroom with a pair of bright turquoise crocs on.  I think she does this to spite me.  But overall, they had a GREAT Christmas and so did we.  The season is so much more special if you get to witness it through the eyes of a child.  I treasure these times and hope that I am being a good Mother to encourage not only the fun and excitement of Santa Claus, but the gift and hope of Jesus Christ through this season. 

Love to everyone, and now, on to Annabelle's birthday party.  More to come at some other time.

Just read a quote that says, "Adulthood: if you are not tired, you are not doing it right".  So true.  I am tired all the time.  Chase this, grab that, don't do that.  Then I think how dull it would be otherwise.  What did we do when we didn't have kids? We couldn't get all the chores done before we had kids, but we manage to get them done now.  Wow.  We must have been lazy lazy bums.  Life is busy and it does tire me out, but I wouldn't have it any other way.  I love the sound of flat feet on the hardwood floor at 5 am coming to climb in the bed with me for morning snuggles before the sun completely comes up.  I love that sweet face that looks up and me and asks, "patty, mommy" even though it means I have to get up from my cozy spot to fetch her a pacifier.  So if I am tired, worn out, and spent, I am loving every minute of it. 

First Day of Bal-a-let.  Yes, I buckled her in, I just had to get the pic first.

War Eagle, I love spirit tutus.  Where were these when I was in college?  I would have rocked it.

So here's to starting a blog . . . again.  Instead of the circumstances that led me to my last blog, this one is all about the Taylors.  The crazy, pulling our hair out, yeah, let's try that, see if this works Taylors.  All about our life, our struggles, circumstances, and the adventure of raising two confident (aka bull headed) girls.  Yes, Grandma Jack, it all came back to me. 

Enter phase I, today.  Macy's two year old appointment.  Granted, Macy was two years old a month and a half ago, but I digress.  The visit to the pediatrician is no less eventful than your standard bomb shelter fallout, emergency hurricane evacuation route procedure.  Phone?  check.  Keys?  check.  Anxiety meds?  check. 

Get to the day care.  As I walk through the door, she knows what's up.  Her face says it all.  First there is a small look of confusion, oh, my Mommy's here.  Then, the look of, its only 9 am.  Then the look of  OH NO!!!  We must be going to get shots!!!!!  Then all chaos breaks loose.  Cue me chasing my toddler through her day care room with other toddler onlookers beginning to franticly wonder if I am about to break out and snatch them up too.  Crying, wailing, and all out panic ensue.

Skip the wrestle to the car and into the car seat where we arrive at the ped.  Walking into the office before I can even get her signed in, she begins the act.  The act is one of, I am so innocent and good and giving, why oh why would you do something like this to me?  It is at this time that I realize I have forgotten the pacifier.  I would rather have a chronic hemmoroid than the missing pacifier at this point.  How did I forget the pacifier???  I am done.  Destroyed.  I remember we have to finalize our Last Will and Testament.  Add it to the list.

Finally to the room we go.  Nurse wants to check the weight and height at which point Macy forgets the use of her legs.  "Hold you Mommy, Hold you!"  Small arms choke the life out of me while I pry her fingers from my face to get her on the scale.  We check her weight and height and move on to bigger and better things.  To the room we go.  Dr. tries to check her ears, nose, and throat while Macy is convinced we are going to kill her.  She is convinced this is all a conspiracy to do in the red headed one.  All out panic of extreme proportions is a delta recon status.  Finally, she is calmed by "Angry Birds" on my phone as I talk to Dr. about her progress and the attitude of my 3 year old (that, my friends, is a blog for another day). 

Dr. leaves and Macy is certain that she has narrowly escaped amputation.  Not so fast, here comes the nurse with the hep A vaccine.  Angry Birds still in session as she BEGS me for her paci.  "Patty, Mommy, PLEASE patty!!!".  Mother of the year still has not located the paci as Macy is hit unawares in her thigh region with the dreaded shot.  AHHHH!!!!!   Where are my pills? 

Finally we are out.  On the way to the door, Nurse gives Macy a sticker and all is well with the world.  Are you kidding me?  A stinking sticker???  I would have given you $100 to chill out a minute ago and you want a sticker?  I calmly await Ashton Kutcher to jump out of the lobby and tell me I'm punked.  Then I receive a check up call from the friendly OB/GYN that my pap is scheduled for this afternoon.  Wow.  This keeps getting better and better . . . . . but don't expect a blog on that one, but I can assure you, I won't be getting a sticker.