The First Baby.

With your first child, a parent reaches each new milestone or birthday with a sense of equal parts: Excitement, Eager Anticipation and Undeniable Melancholy. Their first day of Junior High, their first real game, their next big birthday.  Each 'event' of their lives is inevitably the newest and biggest shared 'first' for the both of you.  It has become common knowledge: each of The Kid's birthdays which further separates me from my once snugly baby boy, breaks my heart a little. Until Today.

 

 

With complete confidence, I can declare The Kid to be the most happy of his entire life.  The Kid loves hard, he breaks easy, he second guesses and wants so badly to belong.  He views himself with a fun house mirror, unable to accurately see the beauty and goodness inside, which is so clear to the rest of us. 

Until recently.  At an age when so many other boys are suffering from a pre-teen identity crisis, The Kid is settling into himself.  It is amazing to watch.  I have been his front row, center stage Fan Club President since the very first moment I knew I was becoming a mother. 

 

This Fall, The Kid received the best report card of his life. (which is saying something...) His teacher conference was glowing (which is REALLY saying something..) He has made good and tru friends.  He is (mostly) doing his own laundry (and actually liking it because it makes him feel 'grown up').  His Speech team won a Best in Show award.  And he is GROWING (3 jeans sizes in 12 months. Ouch.)

He began pitching for his school baseball team.  A position he steadfastly avoided due to nerves.  While watching his first full inning of strike-outs, tears streamed down my cheeks.  My throat was tight and I could barely breathe from the wash of emotion.
Sure... I Heart a great strike-out.  But the tears were not a result of pride from an athletic accomplishment.  Instead I was so overwhelmingly pleased for his confidence in himself.  I have never seen my son with such a comfortable strength.  It is the most beautiful thing in the world, to witness your child becoming themselves.

I have spent the past ten years utterly convinced I would never again see anything cuter than his chunky toddler smile.  Those big brown eyes, hidden deep inside his chubba cheeks... that was the best it would ever get. So color me surprised to realize his twelve year old mini-man face is suddenly ALSO the cutest thing eva?!  Man sized jeans and American Eagle tshirts?  Possibly even cuter than little Carter's onesies on rolly polly legs.  How can that be?

I love this child so much it hurts.
We have probably never made more mistakes and yet without question, Coach and I have done our very best parenting on this amazing boy.  The Kid glued our three hearts together.  How could he ever have reason to second guess anything?  Because falling in love with The Kid, was easily The Most Important milestone of our adult lives.

Happy Birthday, to the First Baby.
My birthday wish for you is simple: to continue to be so darn happy.  To be your best self.  To strive to be as kind as your father and as brave as your mother.  Be so much more than a good grade... be a good person.
I have never believed in anything so completely, as I believe in your heart.  Everything right I have ever done, was to bring you to this joyful space in your life.

Bro in Laws.

As promised, following my Thank-full Post, a new picture of the Brother in Laws:

 

Aren't they cute?

But the real reason I like them, is for their funny.  Because sometime before this pic was snapped, one of these men said (from his own personal experience):

"... you can never un-take your cousin to the prom."

I'll never reveal who made that confession... but just know... it was easily the funniest thing said all week.

Fairy Tales...

Over the weekend, Flag Girl and Chili D became engaged to be married!

In every great childhood Fairy Tale, the story line is essentially the same: the beautiful princess begins her story with a struggle... She is forced by life to start an adventure.  The Princess is thrown out into the elements.  She must over come a dragon, fight the evil step-mother, travel to a far away land and battle through tough elements.

Near the end of each fairy tale, the beautiful princess is either found by her Prince or realizes the man fighting the elements along side her: has been her Prince all along.

It is the long story, which makes the ending so much sweeter.

 

Congrats to the Princess and Prince,
for finding their fairy tale love in each other. 
Cheers to your Happily Ever After!

___________________________________

In addition, Doc and Clark are celebrating their Golden Anniversary today.  A couple so adorably matched.  Who support and believe in honoring the best in each other.  With two full decades of 'Good Times'.  May the rest of us, follow in your footsteps! You have created an amazing life together.

 

Congratulations to both beautiful sistas. 

They deserve all their happiness.

Happy Birthday to my Guy.

While browsing old Coach posts, I began to collect my favorite quotes I have written about how I feel for him.  (Because occasionally, I give him the credit he deserves on this blog.)

 

February 14, 2013

"You make me giggle in a manner I didn't think was possible, for a woman so inherently opposed to cutesie-girl giggles."

 

May 6, 2012

"Coach is always exactly and amusingly who you'd expect him to be. There is hardly a person alive, who does not enjoy the company of Coach.  Me... especially."

 

April 10, 2012

".... because is there anything better, than making Coach contagiously giggle??".

 

November 10, 2011

"I can hardly resist your ridiculously confident smile. (gosh knows there are many times I try to stay angry and your stupid cuteness gets in my way). Above all, you are my laugh."

 

May 6, 2011

"So often, Coach is the main character in our story because he typically shines much brighter than I. Except the trait which has always made him unique, is the joy he finds in other people's happiness."

 

November 10, 2010

"Coach: You are the pepperoni on our pizza.  The Bounce in our step.  The swish of our free-throw.  The bacon on top of our nachos.  Without you, this family would be pretty bland." 

 

Coach is aww-shucksly adorable.
He is sweet and kind.  He is honestly one of the only two people (his father) I have met who genuinely wakes every single morning with the intention to simply remain happy throughout his day.  He has a faith in his heart which allows him to believe in the warmth of people.  I am a better person for loving him.  My children will undoubtedly become the best versions of themselves with Coach enthusiastically in their corner.
Happy Birthday, Coach.
You are without question,
my most Favorite Grown-up. Ever.

One Huge Blow-out November Thank-fuLL Post!!

Rather than every day post my 30 days of November gratefulness, I am knocking this out in one giant post. (with the exception of the first two, these are in no particular order...)

1. Obviously, my babies.  How I created such beauty and character, is beyond me..

 

2. My Coach.

3. Having the ability to own a home.
4. My yoga sTudio!
5. Coach's successful business.
6. My sister-in-laws.  Whom are both my sisters and my best girl-friends.

(Ummm this is weird, my only recent picture of the sister in laws, was taken at the end of a Bachelorette Party and with the bartender... ignore the part of his face I wasn't able to cut out.)

7. Repeat all of the above sentiments and include my brother-in-laws (legal and not yet legal).
8. My amazing nieces and nephews who make me a very happy Aunt. (Including the newly turned 5 niece, Joy.  Happy Birthday!)

9. My Temper-pedic bed. For realz.
10. Reading anything by my fellow bloggers, especially because they are also my buddies.

11. Our Relay Dances.  And the many people who help make our dances so amazingly fun.  Including our DJ's and performers.
12. Our puppy. (that one just made Coach puke in his mouth a little bit...)
13. Our small town life.
14.  The ability to afford to travel away from our small town life.  And create amazing memories.

15.  Our children's health.  Their brilliant minds and capable bodies.  Which allow them to participate in all the activities filling our calender. 
16.  My in-laws.  I could not have hand-picked a better couple to call my second parents.
17.  Our family's only great-parent GG.  And her NINETY-SEVENTH birthday, which she celebrated this week.

18. Coco's Sweet Shop, for making my mother happy.  Though I do not thank Cupcake Saturdays or Dark-chocolate covered carmels sprinkled in sea salt. (or rather my jeans do not thank..)

19. My brother.  For setting a positive example to my children, for how hard the human spirit can and should fight for happiness.

20. Mass text-messages.  So often they are the most funny part of my day.

21. My Favorite Band.

22. My parents.  For giving me life. Pretty big deal.
23. The soft blankets Gramma made. (especially in November, when my hibernating kicks into high-gear.)
24. My children's sweet little friends, which are all taking a spot in my heart.

25. That two sets of parents chose me to be a god-mother.  I love the honor.
26. The amazingly funny people that surround me.  Our nights out laughing are my favorite.
27. New Orleans.  While I am not there now, it just helps to know it's still out there.  Waiting.  NOLA 2014, who's with me?!

28. I'm thankful my old-lady knee is feeling much better.  That was really starting to tick me off.
29. DVR. Seriously.  I am.
30.  Last, I am thankful because: while I normally have only like 4 white blood cells on a good day, Someone Up There has taken the time to watch over my health and provide me with the opportunity to enjoy everyone and everything numbered 1-29..

Now use the Comment section to give me at least 5 things you are thankful for.. and include some funny.  The Comment section is missing funny.

Hey Jimmy Kimmel, I told my kids I ate all their Halloween candy. 2013.

"I Used to be a Hooker" is a frequent Commenter on my blog, as well as our dear friend and fellow car-pool mother.  Below is the trick she played on her children this morning.  It's amazing.  The Baby running into the laundry room is the best.

http://www.youtube.com/v/f1g_lWYaF1E?version=3&autohide=1&showinfo=1&autohide=1&autoplay=1&feature=share&attribution_tag=o306DlHrTCXG0yMIUHqZLA

Coco has watched this video 5 times.
It's her new favorite show.
She experienced a wide range of emotions, first Coco HATED Sara for this trick, then she sincerely began to sympathy cry, then I told Coco the truth and she laughed hysterically at her little friends' pain.

And people thought Coach and I were rough on The Kid... Clink on the link above, it will be the best 4 minutes of your day.

Typical Mommy Blogger November 1st Cute Halloween Picture Post...

 Monster High Frankie's

They didn't want to go as the same character but Mommy went shopping without them and: couldn't find the right sizes, or the right wigs, or the matching blahs blahs to go with the right age... and finally maybe that Mommy said "F this, they can wear whatever I bring home and like it!"

Zombie

A scary Zombie whom could not stop smiling.

After a couple marks with the black eye-liner, Mom dressed as a Mommy Monster High. And then... I stayed home and passed out candy and ordered myself take-out dinner.
And now it's November.
WHAT??!!