10 years later...

My Dearest H,
You are who made me a mommy.. but not in the conventional way. A stepmama, but taking on many of the duties of a regular old mama. Although there have been some tough days, the amazing days outshine them by far.
Today you woke up with smiles. You requested for breakfast scrambled eggs with milk and a grapefruit. Easy enough! You then got ready for school and wore a hot pink shirt with ruffles on it. At lunchtime we brought you lunch at school: pizza hut personal pan pizza with sausage, and sprite per your "order". You came home all smiles again and told us of your birthday singing happy birthday to you! Then Daddy took you to get icecream for your party tonight while I finished making your cake. (Chocolate cake, white frosting, blue and purple icing with a peace sign... per order again). You seemed happy with the cake.
Then, off to dinner at a hibachi grill (your pick) and home for cake and icecream (cookie dough/mack fudge) with grandparents and aunts/uncles/cousins... and don't forget the presents! Mandie books, 3 movies, beads and a bracelet kit, a dress, and a few other things I'm sure I'm forgetting! You were so great with your manners today and were so great all day. I had a wonderful day celebrating YOU and I think you did, too! Daddy put you to bed and prayed for you, and left you in your room to sleep.. with a smile still on your beautiful little face. We love you sweet H!

for memory's sake

Today we had a great family day. After breakfast, we headed to the local beach. It was chilly, but beautiful. did not have my camera, so for memory's sake, I never want to forget:

*Eating at our favorite bagel place-- the whole family there and eating yummy food (cheddar jalepeno bagel with cucumber ranch cream cheese) and enjoying eachothers company.
*H making baby E laugh in the car so hard that he was gasping for breath.
*Watching the hubs hold J up ontop of a small dune at the beach to show him the barge coming in the channel.
*The way the way the sky was bright blue and chilly and streaked with white clouds.
*Walking along the pier-- the hubs pushed baby E in his stroller/carseat while E took a nap.
*H walking on the large rocks by the pier and J wanting to, too. "I'm as big as her!"
*Pulling back the shade visor on the carseat to see E smiling at me.
*H wearing my coat. Then later, H taking off my coat, and also her boots/socks to climb the swing set on the beach monkey-style.
*J saying, "I'm tired. I'm too heavy for this." While he walked on the sand.
*Watching other families who had the same idea as us: enjoy this while we can!
*Praying that H would not read the super sketchy graffiti on the light house at the end of the pier. (I used to do that as a kid and totally got yelled at for it..) She didn't read it, but did ask me, "Mom, do you have a sharpie? You are allowed to write on the lighthouse!"
*Coming home and having lunch on the green blanket from Miss B out on the front lawn. J got the peanut butter sandwich he has been asking for days for. There was leaves, sun, cheese sandwiches, carrots, cucumber, homemade applesauce, and venison stew.
*The hubs mowing the lawn to get the yard winter-ready. Starting to put away outdoor toys.

Today was the most wonderful of fall days made even better by the fact that it is baby E's 6 month birthday. We love that little love!

3.2.10 (61/365)

One of my very favorite things about being a mom is the artwork.. I mean, look at this stuff! While painting the other day, H decided to make me a painting. "Do you promise to keep it for forever??" I promised her, because I'm fairly certain I'll be able to find a spot for it in the binder that I use to collect all her artwork.

2.16.10 (47/365)

I was putting H to bed, and I looked over at her nightstand. I noticed that the tube was empty, and it was a new tube that she had received for Valentine's Day from my hub's mom. "Um, H, why is that chapstick empty?"
"Well... it just tasted so good on my lips, I started to munch on it, and then ate the whole thing on accident!"
We had a nice little chat about how eating a tube of chapstick is not good for your tummy, and I told her that I was going to keep all over her chapsticks in the bathroom from now on. I collected the various tubes of cherry cheer and razzleberry, and as I was headed out the door, I hear a little voice.
"Uhh.... L...? The cherry one is empty, too. Sorry."

1.14.10 (14/365)

H got her 2nd h1n1 flu shot today... she has already had the flu 2x's this winter, so not sure it did any good to get it! At least she got a slushy out of the deal.

Today H was in the kitchen with me and she looked at the dish-drainer rack, and said to me, "SOMEONE did the dishes today!"

1.7.10 (7/365)

H has some make up work for school due tomorrow since she was sick Monday and Tuesday. Hubs was helping her work on it tonight-- one of the assignments was flipping coins and counting how many times they landed heads or tails.

1.5.10 (5/365)

H still stayed home from school on Tuesday, but was feeling much better by dinner time and even ate some cereal for dinner. After dinner, and J was in bed, her and I played "Go-Fish" and then I asked her what she wanted to. She said, "Snuggle". So, we got Mr. Popper's Penguins off the shelf and snuggled while we read it. So glad she's feeling better! Although, she is the best little sick patient I know!
ps. pic is upside down right now, will fix later

1.2.10 (2/365)

Making butterflies with H; we will hang them from the ceiling in the stairway that goes up to her room. She picked out the monkey paper :).

*We also changed H's earrings today for the first time since she got them back in November.

1.1.10 (1/365)

H is back from her mom's, baby J is sick with an ear infection and fever. It's his first time on amoxicillin.

Happy New Year!