Talia Essman - Celebrating Life's {small} Moments

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.

My Beauty!

When this girl smiles, she lights up a room.

I know her so well; I know her every gesture, smile, giggle, cry. I know when she is working it and when it's all genuine.

And when this girl smiles, that true genuine Eliana smile, it makes my heart light up.

There is a beauty in that smile that is magical.

Bittersweet Days.

The end of summer and subsequent start of the school year is always bittersweet for me.

There is so much I love about these days, so much I will miss. But, on the flip side, I am ready for our family to get some routine and normalcy back in our days.

What I will miss about summer ... the lazy mornings waking without an alarm clock.

What I won't miss about summer ... missing my favorite morning spin class.

What I will miss about summer ... having the day ahead of us with no soccer practices, catcher's clinic or dance classes scheduled.

What I won't miss about summer ... having no plan for the day and squandering it away.

What I will miss about summer ... knowing I have the evening ahead of me, without the responsibilities of packing lunches, emptying backpacks or doing homework.

What I won't miss about summer ... having the evening ahead fo me and finding myself too tired to accomplish a single thing, work, fun or otherwise.

What I will miss about summer ... not stressing over the kids' bedtimes.

What I won't miss about summer ... counting down the minutes until the kids finally go to sleep so I can have a moment of silence.

What I will miss about summer ... the warm summer evenings, when I can use the beautiful weather as an excuse for my lack of actually cooking a meal.

What I won't miss about summer ... being seduced by the warm summer evenings into laziness, only to find myself scrambling at 7:30 for something - anything! - to cook for dinner.

What I will miss about summer ... having my girls with me from sun up to sun down.

What I won't miss about summer ... having my girls with me from sun up to sun down.

What I will miss about summer ... having two of my favorite people with me for those mundane errands to keep my entertained.

What I won't miss about summer ... having even the most mundane errand take five times as long as it would without kids.

 

Bye Summer. See You Next Year.

Kelly Elementary We Are Headed Your Way.

Their bags are packed.

The table is all set for our special 1st-day-of-school breakfast.

Breakfast is ready ...

Now I guess it's time to send them on their way. Ouch ... my heart hurts a little.