Tiny Dancer

Olivia had her first ballet recital this weekend.  And I cried through the whole thing.

I'm not really sure why I cried and even though I am a cryer, the tears rolling down my face kind of caught me by surprise.  I guess I cried because it was the cutest damn performance I had ever seen.  Or maybe because she is only 3 and danced up there on that big stage in front of hundreds of people like it was no big deal.  Or maybe it was because I know how hard she practiced and how excited she was to show us what she had been learning.  Or maybe it was because I had only been to one of her classes to watch her over the year and I felt bad for missing out on something she was so proud of. Or  maybe it was just because she is my baby and I was so proud of her and I love her so much and I felt like my heart was just exploding as she danced across that stage.  Maybe it was all of those reasons that brought the tears, but watever the reason, it was really one of the most special performances and something I will remember forever.

Here's some pictures of our tiny dancer.  She was just perfect up there on that stage.  She really is the cutest ballerina we had ever seen and clearly has much more talent than both of her parents combined.  We couldn't be more proud of her and her adorable performance.

 

And the video of her at the dress rehearsal.  She is on the far right.

I am sure there are going to be many more performances and events in her life that are going to bring me to tears, but I will always remember this special day and her first real performance and how I was so overcome with emotions.

Olivia, I love you more than life itself.  I couldn't be more proud of you.  I hope you dance your way through life and continue to do what makes you smile. 

Love, Mom   

Muffins for Moms

Every week prior to Mother's Day, the kids' school celebrates by inviting all of the moms to Muffins for Moms.  It really is the sweetest thing ever.

This year, Kahn, being 5, was so much more into it than previous years, and so excited for me to come into his class and to show me what he had made me and even to serve me breakfast.  The night before he was so excited telling me all about it and how special it was going to be.  Apparently it was going to be sooooo special that he asked me to wear a dress and earrings.  Huh?  I'm not sure what that was all about, but apparently my yoga pants and flip flops were not going to cut it for this celebration.  So of course, I wore a dress, earrings and even heels!

But my favorite part by far is the paintings they do of me and the fun questions they answer about me.  Here's Olivia's picture of me...

I'm pretty sure she nailed the mud puddle brown hair I was cursed with.  Thankfully, she didn't give me roots which I am currently rockin'.

And according to Liv, I am 50.

Here's Kahn's picture of me...

It looks like he may have tried to give me a few highlights.  Thanks, Kahn, for helping me out!  Thankfully, he was a bit more accurate with my age!

But, I love a child's mind and how they think and what they say and how they appreciate the simplest things we do with them.  Like how Liv's favorite thing to do with me is play toys and Kahn's is to lay on the couch with me.  It's just a reminder for me to enjoy the simple things in life with the kids and those moments that don't seem so super special at the time, but obviously mean the world to the kids.  We don't need to be over-the-top with what we do with the kids and always on the go because it is the little things that they obviously love the most.  All they care about is us, as parents, just being with them.  Thanks for that reminder, Kahn and Olivia! I'll be happy to kick up my feet and lay on the couch with you any day! :-)

I am so thankful to be a mom and I am so blessed with the three amazing kids that have been given to me.  

Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms out there!  Enjoy your day with your kids, even if it is simple and spent laying on the couch with your little ones.

Camping with the Kids

We decided to take the kids camping at the lake this weekend with some of our best friends.  And it was a blast!

We have taken the kids camping before, but we stayed in a camper and it was only for a night, so this was their first time 'tent' camping.  They LOVED the tent and honestly were pretty good sleepers for sleeping on the ground, outside.  It probably helped that I brought their sound machine with us.  I mean, nothing like enjoying nature by blocking out its sounds while trying to sleep, right?  But hey, they slept and that's all that matters!

We camped right on the lake so it was great just relaxing at our campsite and enjoying the view and sun, going out on the boat (which little Kahn LOVED) and the kids loved playing in the water.  We definitely had beautiful weather, but the water was absolutely freezing and the temperature was only in the 70s.  I have no clue how the kids were able to get in that water, but they did over and over and over again.  They would get out and shiver like crazy, blue lips and all, and then they'd want to be right back in.  They are definitely ready for the pools here in Atlanta to open soon.  

And in the evenings, the kids loved roasting marshmallows and cuddling up together to watch a movie until they fell asleep.  And I'm sure it goes without saying, but the adults enjoyed lots of laughs, lots of great food and totally unhealthy snacks, and lots of cocktails late into the night which for me, is one of my favorite parts of camping.   

But the weekend was full of lots of smiles, lots of kids (9 of them!) running around enjoying being outside, and lots of sun!  We definitely made some great memories this weekend with some great friends that I hope the kids will always remember.  Even after all the unpacking and 10 loads of laundry I have done today after we returned home, I can't wait to do it again.