Caitlyn's Birthday

 This year we celebrated with family at our local park again.  It was a beautiful day for a party!  Here are some of my favorite photos...

 My little kids

 

and big kids.

 

Pretty cousins.  Told them this wasn't going on FB.  

More cousins :) 

Jaden feeling jealous of the birthday girl getting so much attention.

 I perked her up by taking pictures.  

Where did she learn to pose like that?

My girls think they can play soccer...hahaha.  Someday, girls.

 

 She really didn't enjoy when we sang Happy Birthday.  

Right after I took this, she lunged for me and did the kangaroo thing until we were finished.

CAKE!  Caitlyn had been talking about "her cake" for 3 days straight.

I didn't know she made this face until just now...hahaha...I thought we were taking a sweet picture :)

Just doing a little shopping in the park.

 Jaden, thinking about which toys to try to swipe later...

My birthday girl

Thank you to all our family for helping make Catie's birthday special!  She had a wonderful time, and now it looks like the toy store blew up in our house.  She even shares her gifts...sometimes. :)

Happy Birthday, My Catie

She's 3-years-old today. THREE.  My god, I can't believe she's 3 already.  The years have gone by so fast...too fast. 

I wouldn't use the word "favorite" exactly, because that's not fair to my other kids, or even true.  But she has been such a joy to me since the day she was born.  Maybe because she was the baby, and I knew she was my last, maybe I was wise enough to treasure her for the unexpected gift that she was.  That she is. 

It's so amazing to watch her grow.  Right now her little 3-year-old self is just a glimpse of some unique person I can only imagine.  And although I can't wait to see who that person will eventually be, I wish I could slow these years down just a little.

5 Years In

When Craig and I married, we just jumped in.  We knew we were creating a blended family, and that it would be great at times and challenging at times.  We knew that living with each other's quirks would be both pleasant and crazy, life-sucking reality.  But, I love him.  For some reason, he loves me.  So we jumped in.

Most times, I think he's the only one who really gets me.  Other times...I think the poor guy hasn't got a clue who I am inside.   Still...he's the only one I really let see who that person is, whether he understands her or not.  It took me a decade to grow into a woman who could be that vulnerable, but he never lets me down.  I trust him with those pieces of me.

Five years later, here we are.  Five years of teenagers, babies, laundry, bills, carpooling, and a few hundred spaghetti dinners...here we STILL are.  And it's great :)

Happy Anniversary, Craig!