Summer Starts Now!

We made it to summer!  Ila's last day of pre-school was on Monday, and Eden's last day of 1st grade is today!

Let's compare!

I love looking at their tennis shoes on the first day compared to their tennis shoes on the last day!  Haha!

I saw a funny parent video the other day that renamed May to Maycember.  Because it's just as busy as December but unfortunately there's no presents or pretty decorations.  And I could so relate because this has been one heck of a Maycember!  Since May 1st, Eden had swim team try-outs, the girls had dance pictures, their dress rehearsal, the dance recital, elementary awards show for Eden, pre-school program for Ila, a movie field trip for Eden, swim practices for Eden, dance and gymnastics classes for the girls, I ran a 5K, we had some birthday parties, my niece got baptized.  Whew!  I'm ready for staying home and easier weeks!

Also, this morning, James got his backpack and went to stand next to Eden to have his picture taken after he saw what we were doing.

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day always makes me happy, happy, happy!

When January hit, I got so dang sad about having to take my Christmas tree down.  So I didn't.  The girls and I turned it into a Valentine's Day tree instead!  We did it one week while Dustin was out of town.  I ordered a bunch of ornaments on Amazon, and when he came home from his trip, our Christmas tree had been transformed into Valentine's tree, and he was basically like, "What the hell is this?"  hahahahaha!  But Eden, Ila, and I LOVED it, and it brought us so much joy!

Eden had to make a Valentine's box for her party at school.

 Ila accessorized me!

Fast forward to the next morning:

It's an elephant!  When I asked her what kind of box we should make, she chose an elephant.  She said an elephant is her favorite animal because it starts with an "e" just like Eden.  I had no idea how to go about making an elephant box, but Pinterest to the rescue!  Oh, and her name was Valentina!

Is there anything sweeter than little kids making Valentines for their classmates?  Both girls were so happy and proud to put together Valentines to pass out.

We also made cookies to pass out to school teachers, gymnastics teachers, dance teachers, etc.

Ila's Valentine's Day party for school was the day before actual Valentine's Day.

 ready to party!

Man, oh man, do these pictures make me miss my boy's curls!!!!!

On actual Valentine's Day, the girls got heart pancakes, flowers from their daddy, and a present from me.  James got a present from me.

James's Christmas pajamas worked perfectly as Valentine's Day pajamas too, haha!

 James and Ila on Valentine's Day, ready to go to Eden's school party with me!

I've struggled all year at Eden's holiday parties with this boy!  Eden's teacher brought him some blocks to occupy him, but after he just started loudly banging them onto the filing cabinet behind him, I had to take them away.  So he screamed.  But then he found carrot sticks on the snack table and got excited.  But then he kept taking them and throwing them away instead of eating them.  So I made him stop.  So he screamed.  So we had to go out in the hall where he could run around.  But I have hope that when Eden is in the 2nd grade, he will be a tad more refined, and it won't be so difficult when we go to her parties!

And there you have our Valentine's Day celebrations!

Eden's 7th Birthday

Okay, I'm backing things up all the way to January now, when Eden turned 7!

I wrote this the night before her 7th birthday:

I miss my newborn so much. My heart aches when I think of how far past that stage we are, and my arms long to hold my Baby Eden just one more time. She will be 7 tomorrow. The girl who made me a mother and made all my dreams come true. The girl who was the answer to A LOT of prayers and cries. She does't quite fit in my arms anymore, but now we can talk and laugh and have spa nights in the bathroom when Daddy is out of town. Since I'm her mom, I obviously think she's the best, the prettiest, the most talented, the smartest, and on and on. But none of that is important. Many years ago, when I would lay on the ground crying after another failed round of fertility drugs, I would beg God for a baby and assure Him that I would teach that child all about His Love. Today Eden loves Jesus and knows that He loves her too. That's what is important. I pray that that never changes and will continue to do my part in her journey. Not a day goes by that I don't thank God for this gift He has given me, and I'm so happy that while we are here on Earth, she is mine and I am hers. Happy Birthday to Eden. But really... I miss my newborn so much.

Eden was absolutely determined to lose a tooth the night before her birthday so that the tooth fairy would come for her birthday.  Sadly, she didn't have any teeth loose enough.  Not even close, really.  So we're getting ready for bedtime the night before her birthday, and I told her to go brush her teeth.  A few minutes later, she comes running into the kitchen, triumphant.  She's holding a tooth, and there's blood EVERYWHERE!  That girl wanted the tooth fairy to come for her birthday so badly, that she managed to pull out one of her front teeth.  WHICH WAS NOT READY TO COME OUT!  So lots and lots and lots of blood.  It took forever to get it to stop!!!  But she was so dang happy and just convinced that the tooth fairy was going to bring her something special since it was her birthday. I got her to bed, cleaned all the blood off the bathroom counter, and panicked because I had no idea what the tooth fairy should give a birthday girl!  I called my dad who has lots of coins from around the world from all of his travels, and Dustin went to go get one.  I chose a Mexican coin because Mexico is a country she knows a lot about!  So when she woke up the next morning, in addition to her usual sparkly dollar from the tooth fairy, she also had a coin from Mexico and some floss, because I figured floss is a gift the tooth fairy would give!

Ila went over to Susie's the day before Eden's birthday, and they made this sign.  Ila stuck on all the pom-poms, and she was so excited for Eden to see it the morning of her birthday!

Eden started taking a cheer dance class at the beginning of January and LOVES IT, so her gift to open was her very own pom-poms!

My dad took the girls to school for me on Eden's birthday, and he showed up with pink balloons for her!

Dustin and I went and had lunch with her at school and brought a cookie cake.

The theme of the 1st grade classroom is superheroes, and she was thrilled because she got to wear a cape all morning in the classroom.  She got more balloons from the school too.  We took her out of school after lunch for more birthday surprises!

First up - the trampoline park!

Next up - The American Girl doll store!  She's had her American Girl Bitty Baby for a while now, and it was time for her to get a big doll!

She chose Kit because she said they looked alike!

And finally - dinner at Babin's, one of her favorite restaurants!

It was an amazing, fun day for an amazing, fun girl!

Night, night, birthday girl!