SIX. Mini is SIX.

Mini is six today. Six years old. In Kindergarten. With an officially loose tooth. 

And I am here to tell you, I have no idea how this happened. Where did six years go already? Where did this spectacular little Mini COME FROM?

Smart. Cute. Great Sense of Humor. Loves school. Loves Barbies and loves to run as fast as she can. Loves to read and listen to music and sing and dance. Loves to talk.  Not sure what more a parent could ask for. Well, maybe a better singing voice, but we can't all be perfect right?

The birthday fairy came to our house and left all these balloons in our hallway (thank you Pinterest). The Birthday Fairy and her husband were up at 5am this morning to blow up these balloons. 

Did you know hanging with your husband at that hour with a helium tank is actually kind of fun? Even better when the slightly confused, and very annoyed, pup joins the fun.  Annoyed because apparently we interrupted her beauty sleep. And confused that her People were sitting on the floor in their bathroom with this tank that kept making really weird noises.

The best part of THAT whole experience.. Gracie was totally in awe/confusion etc about this balloon thing. Kept perking up her ears, cocking her head - the normal dog speak for "WHAT? HUH?"

You guys know this girl can't pass a helium tank without inhaling a bit and well, talking.  Which I did at 5am this morning. Which Gracie did not like. She kind of froze, cocked her head, and BARKED. What did you do to my mommy's voice!? I am certain that was the thought in her little dog brain.  Alas, that was it for me and the fun talk. As if the dog had woken up the kid this would have been one unhappy Birthday Fairy. 

Bill's birthday was last week. This birthday fairy apparently can't get organized enough to handle two birthdays in 7 days.. so all she did for poor Bill was make him a cake,... two days late.  But The Birthday Fairy and Mini DID sing to him.  And let me tell you, we are guuud singers. 

Ok. I have loads to tell. Trips to NYC and Eileen with friends and School Uniform Stores and brushes with the paparazzi.  But friends. That has to wait a day or two, as soon as a brief moment becomes available for me to write more! 

Until then Happy Friday!

Handling Mommy

<---  Look at her. Does she look almost six?  Or does she look almost 11? She was just chilling out on the porch watching Rugrats while we watched football.  You'll note she has the choice spot on the porch too. Stinker.

Tonight when I got home, she came out to the car to greet me. I handed her my shoes to carry in (those would be the heels I had kicked off after my 2pm meeting - happily welcoming the trusted flip-flops).  So as she's walking in and I'm gathering the rest of my load from the Sherpa (aka back floor boards) - I see her sort of stuggling with shoes and propping screen door open.  

Me: You got it Monkey? I can help, hold on. 
E:  No Mommy --- I've got you handled. 
Me: freeze in half standing position with computer bag half up to my shoulder...to myself saying did i hear that child? i'm being HANDLED?
Me:  (outloud) do what? you have me HANDLED?!
E: once she's recovered from doubled over hysterical laughing, while smoothly handling shoes and propping door and oh so smoothly entering the house - "yep. thats' what i said Momma." 

Dude. I just got showed up by my apparently uber cool kid. 

<--- Ok - so take note of this photo.   This was Monday Morning of the Three Day Labor Day Weekend (sidebar: can we please please please pass a law requiring mandatory 3day weekends every 5weeks?...).  We woke to super dreary rainy icky gloomy weather.  She'd come down to cuddle, and even after Bill and I had made our groggy way into the kitchen, she'd opted to hang out with MORE Rugrats.  After some time, I wandered back into the bedroom to find her like this. She'd cocooned herself into the covers and propped up the iPad. Amusing. Or Cute. Maybe a little frightening?

<--- OK, so now this picture. This was later Monday afternoon. The day had brightened considerably, but still had that lingering threat of some rain.   Eileen had been playing outside with R from next door and another boy from down the street.  R's mom was outside so that was cool.  Eileen popped in to see if she could go to other boy's house to play hide and seek. I told her no, not because I am evil mom - but because 1) other boy's parents are NEVER EVER outside keeping an eye on 8 year old boy and his 6year old sister.  2) their house is much closer to the busy cross street than ours. and 3) well, I said so.  She just shrugged her shoulders and said "oh, ok. Can I ride my big wheel in the driveway?"  

thats one of those moments when I am torn between wondering how on earth we are lucky enough to have a little girl who asks before she does ANYTHING and more often than not doesn't argue if she doesn't get her way.... OR.. I sit there thinking - oh shit. yet another sign of the certain hell that is coming our way during the tween and teen years. 

So I went outside with her to hang out while she rode around. I got bored and dug out the sidewalk chalk. Dabbled in my 1988 art skills and wrote Eileen's name in BUBBLE LETTERS. 

Tell me people - why is there no BUBBLE LETTER font? Seriously? 

Anyway. She drew that umbrella you see up there.  I'm serious. She really did. I am fairly certain that if I were to draw an umbrella, it wouldn't look that good. 

The shot of Eileen cuddled in bed with iPad and the shot of her umbrella loaded in to my photo stream back to back. Taken roughly 8 hours apart.  At that point I guess I had a deep thought.. because as much as technology has advanced, and as completely normal as toddlers working the remote and smart phones have become..  little girls (and their mommy's) still just want to play with chalk. 

Because, you see.. I hadn't planned on capturing the chalk doodles with my camera. But Eileen wanted me to.  She was afraid the rain would wash them away and she didn't want to lose her drawings. 

Proof (at least to me) that as much as things change.. even more they stay the same.