Talia Essman - Celebrating Life's {small} Moments

Grandparents' Turn, Part 2 (The Birthday Finally Ends).

Corvette Diner here we come.

Grandparents' Turn, Part 1 (The Birthday Continues)

Apple Picking

Adelaide lives for her apples.

Seriously lives for them.

She religiously eats two a day, if not more.

She would chose an apple over ice cream or cake or pie.

We have no idea whose child she is.

So it's only fitting that on the actual day of Adelaide's birthday (in the midst of the three-day-long celebration) we took some time to go apple picking in Julian.

The Morning After.

 

I love a party that carries over in to the next day.

And considering how much Adelaide loves her cousins, it was the perfect end to her birthday party to wake up the next morning and still have them there to hang out.

Cousins and morning crepes. What more could a girl ask for?

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you ...

Who Loves You?

We couldn't love our little 8 year old more.

Best friends. It's not a title. It's a promise.

8 years old. Really?

When did it happen?

When did my little baby girl grow into this 8-year-old little person?

An 8-year-old little person who requests a One Direction birthday party for her birthday.

I think my favorite moment in the party was when all the kids sat around in a circle and toasted Addie.



Although the freeze dance game was pretty fun too.




But we will never forget the silly spray. Thanks for that one Chrissy.

 

Sign My Politician.

I pick up the girls from school today and Eliana promptly tells me that she has decided she is leading the fifth grade graders in filing a 'politician' with the principal regarding the music teacher.

A 'politician?' I ask her. Do you mean 'petition?'

Yes she tells me.

She says that she has a list of valid complaints about the music teacher (who couldn't be any sweeter, but just happens to have a very heavy accent and makes the kids sing about shapes and practice their scales). She has specific reasons for her aggravation with the music teacher, she tells me, and she would like to put them in a signed petition and present them to our principal.

Absolutely not, I tell her. You can not start a 5th grade revolt against the music teacher.

Then, as I am unpacking her backpack tonight, I find this ...

 

Couldn't Love Her More.

I love this little girl more than words can say.

She didn't have to do anything but be born for me to absolutely adore her.

She smiles and laughs and just thinking of those moments makes me smile and laugh.

I love this little girl more than I can say.

Hey Mama Rock Me ...

One of our favorite "songs of summer" was Darius Rucker's "Rock Me Mama."

Also known as the "wagon wheel" song.

And Darius Rucker ... also known as Hootie and the Blowfish's Darius Rucker.

So the song goes ...

"So rock me momma like a wagon wheel
Rock me momma any way you feel
Hey momma rock me
Rock me momma like the wind and the rain
Rock me momma like a south bound train
Hey momma rock me"

The best part of the tune though is the dance that goes with the song. There is a little hip swaying, shoulder bopping and finger snapping.

Somehow, Adelaide managed to capture the choreography perfectly. Sometimes when I'm having a rough moment, all I have to do is turn on that song and watch Addie shake it and it makes me smile.

Instant mood elevator.

So shake it Addie. Like a wagon wheel.