seven.

Dear Ella,

Today you turn seven. From the moment you entered the world in a wild, loud, (and to be perfectly honest) slightly traumatic fashion, you have blown us away.

A baby girl. Blue-eyed and fussy, at first. And then bright-eyed and sunny as a one year old, two year old, three year old. Sassy and funny and so, so smart as a preschooler, preK-er, Kindergartner.

Now, as a 1st grader, there are moments when I still have glimpses of that little round-headed girl, and then there are other moments when I see the next decade of our lives together stretched out before us. All lip gloss and jean jackets and cheerleading skirts and social outings. Wildly smart. Fiercely independent.

And then those moments fade again and you're my little girl, curled up next to me on the couch (we watch HGTV together, these days). We are in the middle, you and I. A mother and a daughter figuring out what it means to grow up, to stretch, to dance.

We are different in so many ways - I have brown hair and love all things neat and orderly. You have blonde hair and embrace the loud and the messy. I think with my head, you follow your heart.

But really, none of our differences matter - those are just the details. What matters is that you are my daughter and I am your mom. We belong to each other. We always will.

It is a profound privilege to raise a daughter, and I am so glad God chose us to help raise you. You are sunshine, joy, laughter personified and sent straight from God's heart, into our home.

As you turn seven, you are learning what it means to be a true friend, that the mean girls are really just sad inside, and that there is a bigger, hurting world beyond our little culdesac. You are learning how to be a sister, how to be gracious even when the other person doesn't deserve it, how to be responsible, confident, and kind.

When you were a tiny little girl, all snuggled into your big bed, you used to pray out loud, "Thank you God for making me just the way I am."

Amen, baby girl, amen.

We will never stop thanking God for you. You were an unexpected gift, the one we didn't see coming. A beautiful girl (beyond our wildest dreams) inside and out.

In short, Ella Jeanne, you knock our socks off.

Happy birthday, sweet girl. We love you.

Love,
Mommy (& Daddy too)

{five | four | two}

moody. {Project 52}

This is our Ella. She's six.

Going on sixteen.

She has been a wonder to us from the moment she arrived on the scene.

It's a girl!

{Cue sheer delight + a shock I couldn't shake for weeks.}

She slept for two weeks, seemingly to gather up her strength, and then she cried for the next twelve, on the dot, just like the books said.

You watch, she'll be a sunny toddler, my mom predicted. My tired, achy self, fighting my way through the foggy first months of a colic-infused, newborn stupor desperately wanted to believe her.

She was right.

From four months on, Ella has been nothing but pure sunshine and joy.

And now she's six. Let's just say she's entering a moody stage.

She's a wonderful mix of sassy and sweet. Independent but still a little girl. A fireball of energy but so, so desperately could use a nap most days (we both blame this on the state-mandated, all-day, every day Kindergarten).

She picks her own outfits out each morning. I bite my tongue while she rocks the sweatpants + sweater cardigan look.

She tells me in a withering tone that our house is so boring. I try not to laugh out loud at her dramatic tone.

She makes her case for watching the "big people" shows on the Disney channel marketed towards tweens. Matt and I hold our ground. (In other news, we have officially become our parents...and we're OK with it.)

She laughs hysterically one moment, cries hysterically the next.

Loves on her siblings this minute, becomes the chief instigator soon after.

Snuggles in to us for a few seconds, slams the door later on.

She's growing up and the wild mood swings are par for the course.

Moody or not, more than anything, she is a kind, smart, brave, determined feisty little girl and we wouldn't have her any other way.

I remind myself to give her extra grace because she has always been so easy-going, so carefree -- I don't want to force her to play a role her entire life where she's always compliant, always happy, never mad.

I remind myself that she is so, so different from me and different isn't a bad thing -- it's not something be feared, but rather something to be embraced.

I remind myself that her moods will vary drastically in the coming years, and my job as her mama is to provide a safe place for her to land each and every time she levels out and her feet hit the ground again.

After all, we're all entitled to a few ups and downs, wouldn't you agree?

love. {Project 52}

Our Project 52 challenge this week is to share a snapshot that captures love.

Right now, when I hear the word love, I am reminded of our girls... sisters... and the special bond that holds them close.

I didn't grow up with a sister relationship like this, and it's been extra special for me to watch them grow from merely big sister / baby sister to playmates, friends, and confidants.

We're potty training right now (well, Mady's learning to use the potty, the rest of us are learning to be very patient), and at the end of a very long potty-centered day, Ella cheerfully offered to lend a hand. I let her go to work and smiled as I overheard their interaction.

And then I laughed when I saw this scene.

These two sisters are devoted to one another. They delight in each other. They laugh together. They are protective and look out for one another. They miss each other when they're away. They're practically inseparable when they're at home.

They are just starting out on their sister journey together, and I'm so glad they will always have each other in their corners, even though I know there will be moments {and there are, even now} when they can't stand each other.

They'll play together as little girls and then navigate the bumpy waters of middle school and then high school, not too many years apart. They'll share clothes. They'll share secrets. They'll keep in touch throughout their college years as they grow and change some more, finding their footing on their own grown-up paths. 

Someday they'll stand beside one another on their wedding days, holding bouquets of beautiful flowers in their hands and maid of honor speeches in their hearts. Someday after that, they'll hold each other's babies in bustling hospital rooms and become aunties to a new generation.

I know real sister relationships can be complicated, complex, and competitive, but my prayer for our girls is that no matter what they'll always have a sister to come home to, someone who knew them first, someone who knows them best.

These two girls, they've just begun, on the cusp of lifetime full of ups and downs, laughter and tears, heartbreak and celebration.

And through it all, they'll always have a friend who is more than a friend. 

She is a sister.

Click here to see Autumn's interpretation of love this week!

And they're off!

First Day of School!

A couple of happy, school-aged, all-day, every-day kiddos!

Our morning went off with out a hitch! (Aside from opening Mady's door to find her covered in exploded Pull-Up goo...I totally affirm all of you cloth diapering mamas.)

Further proof that they really are growing up: no grumbles or complaining about my before school picture taking. Just a lot of sweet smiles...

 ...followed by a couple of goofball moments.

And now a new phase of life is upon us: loads of Mommy & Mady time!

P.S. Part of our morning success was due to this new printable - no nagging, just a couple of kids who kept checking into the kitchen to see what was next on the morning checklist {printable credit: Children Inspire Design}.

Change is always bittersweet, but today I'm celebrating new beginnings, fresh challenges, and growing, healthy kiddos!

five.

When I look back at Ella's baby-hood, the thing that sticks out to me is that she wasn't really a baby for very long.

To start at the beginning: we got off on the wrong foot. She crossed her legs and refused to move during her 20-week ultrasound. This fact, plus an unfriendly ultrasound tech, reduced her very hormonal mama to tears.

For two days.

I eventually recovered just in time for a semi-traumatic delivery. My doctor's direct quote the next day: "I was so glad to see a pink baby." The trauma was enough to scare all of us: my doctor soon after stopped delivering babies.

So I was left sitting in a hospital bed holding my baby girl (shocker! I was sure she was going to be a he) with blue eyes (who knew?) and we were both lucky to be alive.

We went home. Life was good for the first two weeks. I was actually a little worried because she slept so much.

And then she woke up.

And she cried. And cried. And cried.

And I cried.

We swaddled, shushed, swung and soothed. {thank you, Dr. Karp}

And she still cried.

My mom told me one day (over Ella's cries): just wait, you'll see, she'll be the sunniest toddler after this.

I didn't believe her.

They tell you it will stop around 12 weeks - which is a small consolation when you are on week four - and like clockwork, at four months old, she stopped crying.

She refocused the energy she had previously put into screaming and put it into smiling, finding trouble, winning our hearts, and climbing on tables.

She crawled at 7 months, stood up and walked at 11.

She chased her brother and wanted to do everything he was doing. They are two years apart in age, but in so many aspects I've always said that they seem more like one year apart.

She's my baby that really wasn't a baby. There wasn't a lot of cuddling or coddling. She never slept between us in our bed because she wouldn't stay still long enough to fall asleep. She's either been mad or on the go, and she's a hard one to keep up with.

Her birth order and sunny personality (yes, my mom was right) mean she goes with the flow and doesn't demand a lot from us.

It was just finalized in our school district that Kindergartners will switch to an all-day, every day schedule next year. I understand the reasoning and I knew it was inevitable. Ella will be fine - she's old for her grade and smart as a whip.

It's me I worry about.

Our little blonde-haired girl is suddenly growing up way too fast. Sometimes it seems like she's five going on 13.

And I just want to keep her little.

Can you blame me?

{more} Ella-isms

Yesterday she says to me:

"I'd like a Zu Zu Pet."

"But you already have a Zu Zu Pet."

"No, I want a real Zu Zu Pet."

"Ohhhh, you want a hamster."

***

There is a boy in her class that told her he would like to marry her. 

To him I say: "As if you could even hope to keep up with her."

***

Her favorite cheer complete with her own sassy moves:

"Eagles got the muscle. Let's show them how to hustle.

Hut hut hut, say what? Hut hut hut, OK!"

***

Excited about our upcoming vacation to an all-inclusive resort,

she told her pre-K teacher today:

"I'm going to drink a hundred Pina Coladas."

***

Caption to the above photo:

"What's up, dudes?"

***

Our spunky, funny, smart, pretty, precious Ella.

fire up!

Once upon a time, I spent many fall Friday nights on the track,

so I was more than a little bit excited for Ella to have a turn.

I sewed and glued and tied her first cheer bow,

and then acted like that crazy mom

smiling and waving and taking pictures on the other side of the fence.

(I won't lie...we even practiced together when we got home.)

I loved every minute.

And yes, I'm crossing my fingers that cheerleading runs in the family.

Love this little girl. She makes my heart sing.

back to school!

It seems a little surreal that I sent two kids off to school this morning. And for the first time in almost seven years, my baby boy will be spending more of his awake time away from home instead of at home with his mama and sisters.

We had a great first day, starting with a fairly smooth morning - I owe a big shout out to these printable morning routine cards I found on Pinterest last night.

There was even plenty of time left over for me to take an obnoxious number of first day of school photos in the front yard. (The signs D & E are holding are another Pinterest find.)

Then we loaded up the whole fam and took them to school today all together (it was quite an event).

First we dropped off sister...

And then big brother...baby sister made herself right at home.

When we came back home, Mady and I enjoyed a nice run on a beautiful fall morning followed by a mommy/baby girl shopping trip and lunch at Panera. We loved our one-on-one time together...

...but we were glad to see brother and sister get off the bus again at the end of the day. (And our new after school routine worked like a charm!)

My favorite story of the day: Dylan told me that he and Ella talked to each other through the fence at recess (their school keeps the little ones on a separate playground). Somehow that brought up prison yard images which made me laugh and then it reminded me how much they care about each other which made me smile.

First day of school = great success!

best buddies

They begged for the privilege

of sharing a room last night.

They were given the you-only-have-one-shot-at-this talk

by Mommy and Daddy.

{It was already getting late

and we were not in the mood for any monkey business}

And they proved to us that they could do it.

We love that they are such good buddies.

Pairs of brothers and pairs of sisters get a lot of good press...

but we think their brother/sister bond is extra special too.

"You don't choose your family. 

They are God's gift to you, as you are to them."

Desmond Tutu

a picture is worth a thousand words

It's easy for me to gravitate towards the "perfect" picture when posting to my blogs, but sometimes the picture that tells the story is much more fun.

I love both of these pictures, but only one tells the real story.

Picture A gives you the impression that Ella is 100% ready to ride a two wheeler and that the sun always shines in Tylerville.

Picture B tells the true story. Our spunky little blondie still has a ways to go and makes Daddy more than a little bit nervous.

Which one do you think should make it to our picture blog??

preschool, class of '11

So, so proud of our little preschool graduate. I can't believe she's done with this phase already and that I won't be picking a child up from Maple Tree Preschool next year (for the first time in three years).

Daddy and her celebrated this morning with a special Daddy-Daughter breakfast at the Rainbow Grill before school. Big Brother is proud of her too :)

Ella and her buddy Xavier before the graduation ceremony.

A little shy on stage but she still sang her heart out (compared to her brother two years ago who practically fell asleep up there).

Construction paper graduation hats + diplomas = adorable.

A preschool favorite: Every day is a victory!

Our little Ella Bella, moving on up!

proof!

When we looked at this picture I took of Mady yesterday, Matt and I were both struck by how much she looks like Ella. I remembered taking a picture of Ella around the same age (Ella was closer to two, Mady is 18 months) on the same spot on the counter, so I dug it up to compare.

Below is proof our blue-eyed blondie and our brown-eyed girl came from the same gene pool (although I do have people tell me from time to time that they look like each other).

For whatever reason (serious spunk?) both pictures are slightly blurry (and please ignore Mady's black eye) - but they have the same goofy grin, cute little chin, scrunched up eyes, and fuzzy mullet hairdo.

Sisters. Wonders never cease.

ella-isms

Our neighbors have a puppy named Lucy. Five months ago Lucy was a tiny furball and now Lucy, while still a puppy, looks more like a DOG. Sometimes she likes to come across the street when she sees the kids outside playing. This sends Ella into hysterics - for whatever reason she is terrified of Lucy (apparently we haven't done enough to expose our "we-'re-not-dog-people" kids to pets along the way).

A couple of days ago Ella is shrieking and crying to Matt in the driveway about Lucy's latest visit. Matt gets down on her level, looks her in the eye, and says, "You don't need to be scared of Lucy - she's just a puppy."

And Ella, still crying, says, "Yeah, but she's a puppy *sniffle* that just keeps getting bigger."

Today I'm driving the girls down the road after dropping Dylan off at school. Ella is looking out the window and (I'm guessing) taking in the morning sunshine and snow covered fields. I hear her say to herself, "I wonder how God and Jesus made everything." 

Before I can open my mouth to answer, she adds, "They probably had a magic wand or something."

Ella has testing coming up in March for Pre-K/Kindergarten. We already know we would like her to do Pre-K next year (she has a November birthday) but it's required by the school anyway. I remember when I took Dylan in two years ago they gave me his evaluation sheet at the end. One of the sections he didn't know all the answers to were labeling some more obscure body parts (heels, jaw, hips, etc.) 

Out of curiousity, I asked Ella if she knew where her hips were. She looked at me, placed her little hands one on each hip, tossed her hair back, and smiled. 

Of course. Our little diva.

oh, Ella!

Here is our dilemma lately...if Ella naps in the afternoon, she's up until 10pm at night. If she doesn't nap, she either a) cries, whines and throws herself on the ground from 4pm-7pm or b) falls asleep in odd places when you really don't want her to (i.e. 5:00 at night). Here are a couple of my more recent attempts to keep her up during the day (in hopes of a little kid-free time in the evening).

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

In the first photo I had sent her to her room for time-out because she was driving me nuts (product of a no-nap day) and I was trying to make dinner. We went to call her down to eat and Matt found her like this. Hilarious, but bedtime was no fun that night.

The second picture just happened today - again I am trying to keep her up so she'll go to bed on time for me tonight (Matt always works late on Monday nights and it helps my night if I can get all three kids down by 7:30 or so). I told her she could watch a movie, things got eerily quiet, and when I went to check on her, there she was, out cold. It's only 2:00 in the afternoon and I can actually hear snoring as I type this.

Anyone out there have any ideas for bridging this nap/no-nap phase? We went through it with Dylan too but it didn't seem to be quite as difficult with him (and it didn't last this long). Help!

four

Four years ago, we were waiting for Ella - I was induced so we knew she was coming, although we didn't know that she was a she. We knew if we had a baby girl, we would name her Ella but we had no idea what was about to hit us!

From the moment she came crashing into this world (screaming her head off, complicated delivery and all) she has kept us on our toes. I remember Matt coming back to the hospital the next morning after she was born (both of our heads still reeling, "we have a girl"), looking at me and saying, "but I have to give her away" - the next 20+ years flashing before our eyes.

We are four years into it and she is a wonder.

She is spunky, 

smart,
funny (in her words: 'larious),

clumsy (in a graceful sort of way),

a little nuts, 

caring, 

tender-hearted (you should see her with her twins, Sally and Emily), 

tomboy-ish (she has to keep up with big brother), 

and one of the prettiest princesses you will ever meet.

Oh, and have I mentioned her blonde hair and blue eyes??

Happy 4th birthday, Ella Jeanne.
We are so glad God sent you to live in our family.
You are a blessing and a joy.

photos by Mindy Leigh :)

Princess Moonka

Yes, you read that right, we call her Moonka (Moo-nka, not monkey, like Jalen thinks). Sometimes it's Moonks or Moonkeys (long "o") or even Toonks - it doesn't matter what the variation, it's always the same spunky, blond-haired little girl we're referring to. I hardly remember when it started but I think I recall her crawling around our new-to-us house as a baby with determination set on her brow and Matt calling her Princess Moonka Moonka. Funny how nicknames stick.

The other night Dylan was with my parents for the evening, so we decided to go out for Chinese - after all, we only had two kids (funny how your perspective changes through the years). Since Mady hasn't yet mastered the art of conversation, Matt and I were able to have some one-on-one conversations with our Ella. On the way home, we asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up. In her sweet little matter of fact voice she told us, "I'm going to have a house...and a baby...and then I will push the itty bitty buttons on the c'puter. And have a cat. But not a dog."

There you have it. Dear, sweet Ella, we can't wait to see who you continue to become!

oh yeah, we have other kids!

I'm realizing the last three posts have been about Mady so maybe it's time to give Kid #1 and Kid #2 some blog love. It's easy to take pictures at "events" and harder to remember to snap photos of day-to-day stuff. Here is a glimpse of everyday life around here.

Ella was given this "princess" dress for Christmas last year from Matt's mom (it's actually a bride Halloween costume that she found on clearance at Marshall's - brilliant!) and Ella is famous for disappearing for a few moments and coming back looking like this. You can't help but laugh when she comes dancing into a room and we make sure to give her plenty of oooh's and aaah's (Ella is most at risk of suffering from MCS (Middle Child Syndrome). It's fun to watch Matt with a little girl too - his experience growing up with three brothers was mostly boy-based - and I can only imagine the look on his face in 20-ish years when she walks into the room in her wedding dress.

Besides being a part-time princess, Ella also fills her days watching Curious George, writing her name (looks a little like E-l-l-q), taking care of her baby twins, and talking in a weird high-pitched voice to Mady (she doesn't get that from me, does she?)


The first thing I should say about Dylan is that I love him dearly. The second thing I have to say is HE NEEDS TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL. With that off my chest - besides driving his mother crazy - Dylan is busy making car dealerships (see below), drawing pictures (that's his turtle too), asking me what 12 + 87 makes, and calling Matt and I from various phones (he learned both of our phone numbers this summer...Bonus! Kind of...)