Turning 7

Tomorrow A turns seven.  I can hardly wrap my mind around the fact that my youngest baby is seven years old, but there it is.  The past seven years have been quite the adventure.  I thought it would be fun to do a picture review of A's life.

Here's  our princess at a month old in her baptismal gown.  Is anyone surprised to know that A screamed throughout her entire baptism?

On the beach in Ocean City, NJ as a toddler.  She's always had that boundless energy and spirit.

Visiting Disney for the first time at two years old.  Note she liked to pose even back then.

Capturing ducks at the petting farm as a three year old.   I can't remember if she was screaming or laughing in this picture.

Four years old, running tame at the Little League field.  She went to the ball field for the first time when she was three days old.  Is it any wonder she's such a little baseball fan now?

This was taken in Hawaii when she was 41/2.  It captures her sassy spirit perfectly.

For her fifth birthday, she had a princess glamour party.  

At five she met Coach C and decided he was the object of her affections.  She continues to make us laugh on a constant basis with this one.  This was the first picture ever taken of the two of them and resides in a frame on her night stand.

Her brothers have adored her from day one.  Even when she aggravates them, they can never stay mad at her for long.

Her Christmas dance recital when she was six years old.  Yet another picture that clearly captures her sauciness.

Taken a week ago at her baton competition, our sassy girl just shy of seven years old. Whatever she does, she does it with sass and style.  She keeps us on our toes every minute of every day.  And every day with her is a pure joy.  To know A is to love her and I for one love her to the moon and back.  Happy birthday baby girl!

Kicking Off the Baton Season

As everyone knows, I spend a good portion of my life at baseball fields, watching J play.  I truly love every minute of it.  Well, maybe not washing loads of stinky uniforms, but even that doesn't diminish my enjoyment of watching J do what he loves the most.  However, I'm a girly girl at heart, and there are times when I just need to indulge that side of my nature.  And nothing fits the bill better than spending the day with A at baton competition, dressing her up in numerous cute costumes, fixing her hair, and watching my sassy girl strut her stuff.  This is A's second year on the baton team, an activity she thoroughly enjoys.  Yesterday was the first competition of the season, and A had a fabulous time, coming home with several trophies.  For those that don't know, baton competitions are an all day affair.  The day begins with group routines, followed by individual events in marching, modeling, and twirling.  A was in three group routines yesterday: a pom routine with ten other girls, a small group twirling routine with three other girls, and a large group twirling routine with the entire team.   She then competed individually in dress modeling, costume modeling, basic and military marching, and for the title of Strut Queen, for which she had to march and model a costume.  I'm pleased to report that the girls took first place for their pom routine, and second place for both the small and large group routines.   Our team also had other small and large group routines that all placed as well.  Individually, A took third place for dress modeling, 2nd place for costume modeling and basic marching, and 1st place for military marching.  She also took 1st place for Strut Queen in her age category, which really thrilled her.  She also loves all of the costumes, hairstyles, and accessories that go along with each routine and I have to admit, I do, too.  She wore a total of six different costumes yesterday, plus a fancy dress for dress modeling.  Each one is cute in its own unique way but I do have two personal favorites, simply because they suit A's personality so well.  The first one is her baseball dress, pictured here:

A is quite the little baseball fan, as everyone knows, and this baseball dress fits her sassy personality perfectly.  She modeled this yesterday for the costume modeling portion of Strut Queen.  She decided on a sassy modeling walk and strutted right up to the judge, cocked her hip, and blew a kiss.  Unfortunately, I didn't have a camera ready to capture it.  But let's just say the performance cemented her title as the baseball princess.

Which brings me to my absolute favorite costume.  She got this one for Christmas, so yesterday was the first time she wore it in competition.  Here it is:

Is this not the cutest thing ever?!  Not only is A a baseball fan, she's become quite the Florida Gator fan as well.  Her daddy likes to think it's because he's a lifelong Gator fan.  But we all know it really has more to do with a certain baseball coach who attends the University of Florida.  A had been saying she wanted a Gator twirling costume and this one couldn't be more perfect for her.  I ordered it from Kenerly Kreations, who make the most beautiful custom baton and figure skating costumes. You can't see it in the picture, but she has a coordinating hair accessory in her hair.  The majorette boots were also part of her Christmas gift, and I think I love those even more than I love the costume.  The entire ensemble is just so A, if you know what I mean.  She wore this for marching yesterday, though in the future it will also be for her presentation routine, which is a short solo.  In the meantime, our little Gator girl strutted her stuff in style during her marching events.  And everyone loved the boots.

Yesterday was my 40th birthday, and I thoroughly enjoyed spending it with my little girl, indulging our girly sides.  She's becoming quite the little twirler, so I expect we'll be participating in baton for many years to come.

A Month of Milestones

January is going to be a big month for us.  First up, J is taking the test to get his driver's license on Thursday. Yes, he's almost 17.  I've made him wait until I felt 100% comfortable, or as close as I'm ever going to feel to 100% comfortable, before allowing him to get his license.  I can honestly say this is the scariest milestone I've faced as a parent.  The thought of him out on the road by himself scares the hell out of me.  But part of my job as a mom is to let him spread his wings.  So I'll get through it.  Somehow.

Another big milestone this month is my birthday.  I'm turning 40 in less than two weeks, which I guess is supposed to freak me out.  I can't say that it has.  Not yet anyway.  It's a bit startling to realize I'm at the tail end of another decade of living, but it's also kind of exciting to be beginning a new one.

A week and a half after my birthday, A turns 7.  This freaks me out a lot more than turning 40.  I've blinked and my youngest baby is growing up on me.  It makes me nostalgic to realize that for us, the baby days are done forever.  At the same time, how can I not be looking forward to another year filled with A's unique brand of sassiness and charm?  Whatever she has in store for me, it's sure to be entertaining!

So we're starting 2013 off with a bang.  May it be as filled with love, happiness, and blessings as 2012 was.

Pageant Traditions

Today our school had our annual Christmas Pageant, which is one of my favorite days of the entire year.  I tend to be a very sentimental person, and the pageant brings it out big time.  This simple retelling of the story of Christ's birth, in which every child in our school participates, is as much a part of our Christmas traditions as pajamas on Christmas Eve and leaving cookies out for Santa.  I can still vividly remember the first time I saw it, when J was in pre-k.  I was amazed at how much this humble little performance touched my heart.  Twelve years and twenty four performances later(two shows each year), it still moves me to tears.  I have loved watching my babies grow up participating in it.  Each year is a little bittersweet, signifying the passing of time and the speed at which they're growing up.  The first grade angels are my favorite part and tonight I watched my last angel make that walk down the church aisle, sassy smile in place.  I've been the head homeroom mom since J was in 5th grade and N was in kindergarten, which means I'm responsible for overseeing a lot during pageant week.   I, along with my dedicated group of homeroom moms, assist with costumes  rehearsals, and prop repair.  The day of the pageant, we set up for the reception that follows the evening performance, assist with dressing kids in costumes, and generally do anything that needs doing to ensure the pageant goes off without a hitch.  Pageant week is both exhausting and exhilarating, and I love nearly every minute of it.  During the reception, I enjoy standing back and watching families come together, kids congratulating each other on another great performance, alumni having mini reunions and reminiscing about their own pageant years.  At the end of the evening, as I'm locking up the parrish center, observing the school and church in the dark and quiet, I'm struck how much I love our school family, and how lucky my children have been to grow up surrounded by the love and faith our little school has in such abundance. 

It's Official

A while back, within another post, I told you that Coach C would be coaching the 18u TP team this upcoming summer.  While we've known this for a while, he hadn't made an official announcement to the rest of the team.   Well, yesterday he sent out an email to the team, announcing that he would be coaching the 18's, so I can shout it from the rooftops now.  J is thrilled to know that he will have two more summer seasons playing for Coach C.  Okay, we're all thrilled and so looking forward to the summer season, which will begin in May.   The upcoming year is an important one for J and I feel so blessed to know that Coach C will be there to coach and guide him through this very important and special time in his life.   Great things are just around the corner.

Holiday Celebrations

Hard to believe that Christmas is just over two weeks away.  Like everyone, we're in a frenzy of holiday preparations.  The kids still have two weeks of school before the break and it's business as usual with all of their activities.  However, despite the frantic pace we do have some fun things planned to enjoy the season. Some have already happened and some are hovering on the horizon.

N's chorus had two concerts last week.  The first was a performance with Christmas with the Celts at our local performing arts center.  The second was a holiday concert with an adult choir and a bell choir from a neighboring town.  Both performances were an outstanding kick off to this month of celebrating.

Our school had a float in the annual Christmas parade this weekend.  A rode on the float dressed as an angel.  She smiled, waved, and sang the entire parade route.  Hubby and I walked the parade behind the float, while J participated in the float of one of the local Little Leagues.  N missed the parade in order to participate with some of the other school kids in a production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat at the local playhouse.   They sang two songs as the chorus in the production, participating in five shows over four days.

This week, I'm hoping to get to my holiday baking.  I usually bake an assortment of goodies to share with friends and family. I also need to finish up my gift buying, which is nearly complete.  Friday night A has a performance with the baton team in the Christmas show the dance school puts on.  Saturday we're going over to Busch Gardens for Christmas Town with some of my family and some of my brother's work friends.  They're supposed to have light displays, special Christmas shows, visits with Santa, and some of the roller coasters will be running.  The kids are really looking forward to it.   On tap for Sunday is dinner with Coach C.  He's coming to the house and I'm going to cook a Chinese feast.  I'm hoping it turns out well since I'm just starting to delve into Asian cooking.  We also have some Hanukkah gifts for Coach C and it will be nice to spend some time with him, visiting and catching up.

Next week will be a busy one since our annual school Christmas pageant takes place late in the week. It's my favorite holiday activity and the true kick off for Christmas in our family.  This year N will perform in the choir and A will be a first grade angel, one of my favorite parts of the pageant.  I'll for sure be keeping a tissue handy because I cry every year at this beautiful telling of the Christmas story.

After that, the kids will be out of school for two weeks.  We don't travel anywhere for Christmas.  Most of my family is right here, as is hubby's mom.  We'll host the annual Christmas Eve get together for the family, complete with new pajamas for the entire family.  The pajamas are a tradition started back when my brother and I were kids that continues to this day.  Kids and adults alike all have new pajamas to sleep in on Christmas Eve.  I'll take the kids to Christmas Eve mass in the afternoon.  My mom and I will return to church for the midnight service as well.  Christmas Day begins at our house as soon as the kids are awake, which will be early.  You'd think A, being the youngest, would be the first one up.  However, J is without fail always the first one awake, wakes up his siblings, and calls the rest of the family so they can get here in a hurry.   Everyone will gather to open stockings and gifts from us.  Then we'll move onto to either my mom's or my aunt's to open gifts there and have breakfast.  The gift opening will conclude at the third house where we'll have Christmas dinner.

Whatever your holiday traditions are, I hope the season is filled with much love and joy for you and your loved ones.  Remember to slow down long enough to enjoy the traditions and celebrations unique to your family, and to count the blessings in your life.

A Worthwhile Cause

A few days ago, Coach C called to ask if it would be alright if he sent me some information regarding a philanthropy project his fraternity is involved in to raise funds for the Children's Miracle Network..  I of course said yes, and told him I'd happily share the information with as many people as possible.  I've since shared it on my Facebook page, emailed it to several friends, and have decided that posting it here will reach the few people who may read this blog.  I'm going to let Coach C speak for himself here, since I think he very movingly describes the work being done for the Children's Miracle Network.  If you feel moved to donate to the cause, I'm including the link to Coach C's personal donation page at the bottom of the page.  The following words are from Coach C:


Dance Marathon at UF is considered the most successful student-run philanthropy in the southeastern United States. During the event approximately 800 students will stay awake and on their feet for 26.2 hours to raise funds for Shands Hospital for Children, our local Children’s Miracle Network hospital right here in Gainesville.

Over the past 18 years, Dance Marathon at UF has raised more than $5.3 million for pediatric research, leading-edge medical equipment, and diversionary activities for children who must endure long hospital stays. Your support means a great deal to these patients and they are at the heart of Dance Marathon. Here is my thank you letter from last year which defines my experience with this incredible cause:


To My Family and Friends,
As I write this letter to you, I have just come back from UF Dance Marathon, and thanks to your generous contributions to this unbelievable cause my fraternity won the Miracle Cup for the second year in a row by contributing $31,000 to our team total. Thanks to all of you, and the thousands of people just like you, UF Dance Marathon is now the largest run student philanthropy in the country as it raised a staggering $866,000 dollars for the Children’s Miracle Network. I’m writing you this letter to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your donations, because today I learned the true importance of your contributions.
This was my first year participating in Dance Marathon. I had always believed in the cause and mirrored my fraternity’s enthusiasm for the philanthropy, but I never fully grasped just how incredible this event is until I had the opportunity to experience it for myself. For those of you who don’t remember the email, UF Dance Marathon is an event where dancers, backed by a large support staff, stand for 26.2 hours straight to raise money for life saving equipment in the Pediatrics department at Shands Hospital. I worked on the Morale staff this year. My job was essentially to help the dancers in anyway possible, keep spirits up during the marathon, and provide entertainment to keep the dancers occupied. I worked 20 of the 26.2 hours and I can honestly say that I have never been more emotionally touched in my entire life. Throughout the event families and their children whose lives have been saved thanks to this amazing charity tell their stories to the dancers and the staff. Their unyielding strength despite insurmountable odds made a lasting impact on myself and put the gravity of the entire event in perspective; however, none made a more lasting impression on me than a young boy named Justin. I met Justin while in the family relations area of the O’Connell Center, which is the arena in which we held the event. He was throwing a ball around and we started playing catch and talking. He told me he was 14, loved baseball, and that it was his dream to play in the Major Leagues one day, preferably for his beloved Tampa Bay Rays. For the next hour I gave Justin lessons in both hitting and pitching, and by the end of the hour he had improved substantially. As he ran to go tell his parents all the new things he had learned, his jeans rode up to his ankle as he ran, and I saw that Justin had a prosthetic left leg. Not once during our time together did he ever mention his disability, nor did he let it affect his play. After seeing this, I had to excuse myself so he wouldn't see me crying. His resolve, his fun loving nature, and his courage to dream big despite his chances being so small, rocked me to my very core. Justin is a testament to the results of the money you contribute to Dance Marathon. Thanks to you, this remarkable young man was given the chance to live, and was able to become the unbelievably brave person he is today. 
Justin is just one of the 100,000 children Shands treats every year, and each of the children who came with him to the marathon were different in ailment, but equal in spirit. I am so proud to have been a part of this wonderful cause. It has had such a huge effect on my life, and it is with all my heart that I thank you for your generosity and your kindness. It has meant more then you will ever know. Thank you.

Your dollars can truly make miracles happen for these children, and I ask you to give what you can. There stories have touched my heart and my experience with them has changed my life. Thank you for your time.


Follow this link to donate  click here to be taken to the page to make your contribution.