Happy Birthday Ells!

With two birthday's this close together it has been a busy week! Ellie had 5 girls over for a slumber party which was supposed to be a campout in the backyard but that didn't last more than an hour! We took the girls up to the pool to swim, came back for pizza and cupcakes and set up 2 tents...one for all the girls and one for Jamie. Now keep in mind that Jamie HATES camping! He was not happy that he had to sleep outside in his own yard when there was air conditioning and a bed within 100 feet. Since we are not the seasoned campers it took us a good hour to set up both tents (although that was in part due to our little 2 year old helper who kept walking all over it before it was secured into the ground). The girls loved the idea of it and spent quite a bit of time inside the tent playing truth or dare and telling stories but once it got dark they lasted about an hour before they were all inside with their sleeping bags and animals. Now this thrilled Jamie (although made him even more bugged that we had spent so much time setting them up) but the fact that he got to sleep inside made up for it. They were up much later than the 6 year olds...and much louder too but I guess that's what comes with getting older. Ellie turned 8 years old and she is well on her way to becoming that fun "tween" we hear so much about! Although she has her moments of sassy and pouting all the other moments of sweetness and thoughtfulness make up for it. She is becoming aware of how her actions and emotions affect other people and is sensitive to that. She is such a wonderful big sister with Jalen...lugging him around, giving him piggy back rides, getting him out of his crib in the morning along with his 3 blankets, boo bud and juice, taking him to jump on the trampoline or swim in the kiddie pool and always knowing just what he is asking for. Her and Lily are getting closer as well, and although they do their fair share of fighting they also are the first to defend one another or be there when the other is sad. She has made some wonderful friends this last year at Stafford and I am trying to cherish this time I have with her because I know soon enough it will be friends that she wants to hang with instead of mom. One of the teachers told me something on the last day of school that really stuck with me..."parents remember the first 10 years of the child's life and the child remembers everything after that". It's simple but it hit me that all these things we do for our kids in their younger years...throwing big birthday bashes, going on field trips, volunteering in their class at school...they don't remember. But then they get older and make friends, we think that because they don't "need" us as much that we don't need to do all those special things when in fact it is just the opposite...it's then that we need to continue to show our support and give our time and love. Now don't get me wrong...all those great things we do in their younger years do have a HUGE impact, they remember them today, tomorrow and a month from now and it is important that they have those things to make them feel loved and secure and safe. What I got out of it is just don't stop. When they start to become more independent and push away a little is when you need to stay involved because those are the memories that last forever. So Ellie, I promise to always be there...even when you may not want me to be! I love you babe...Happy Birthday!