I'm sitting in my most favorite spot in the house (which in itself is a feat, for this house and its inhabitants have not stopped doing all the things for months... EWWW) watching my girl frolicking in the back yard. Sure, Dad is there and her brother is around somewhere, but she is deep into an imaginary place where no one else was invited. I sit here thinking, once again, how I wish I could be like her when I grow up! I know I have said this before, but she is pretty near the coolest being in all the lands! Though, to agree with this statement, you would have to be a lover of quirky little people. I will set more of the current scene for you: the guys are outside with the tractor and burnable things attempting to make the fire-of-all-fires and she is prancing. Prancing around the fire pit, prancing around the tractor and trees... and air. She has adorned herself in a rainbow striped dress with a butterfly printed jacket, cowgirl boots, self-straightened hair (sidenote: oh ma' people, this is a giant NO-FACTOR that I can. not. get her to understand! I do not want to crush her spirit, and I am willing to let her out in just about anything, but self-straightened hair... EWWWW!), a red ribbon tied on the top of her head with a yellow-striped headband, and what-for-my-wondering-eyes-should-appear!? but a purple and silver beaded amulet for flare! (World... you are so very welcome!)
As she is doing her awkward, yet signature, skip-gallop-jump movement while singing what is likely a narration of the goings-on in her mind, the only flash back to reality is the occasional passerby in the park that must be greeted with full introductions. Likely there was a not-so-subtle mention of a recent birthday, where Little Miss may have turned seven... Yay! SEVEN!
I am not dealing! Not. doing. any. dealing. with this situation. She is about to leave me and I know it. It is happening. Hold me!
I know that birthdays are meant to be joyously happy occasions, and I get that. I am happy watching her be OVER-THE-WHOLE-MOON that it is her birthday. But there is a rather loud, and likely verging on obnoxious part of me that is not jumping for joy each time I have to acknowledge that my baby is not a baby anymore!
This year's celebration was a bit different, because I happened to be up in Chicago driving a robot with a bunch of high schoolers. However, seeing as MAK believes herself to be a part of the robot team, she was just as thrilled to spend her special day with a bunch of high school teenagers in an arena of racing robots. My family surprised her and met us in The Big City for an overnight stay in a hotel and dinner at the Rainforest Cafe.
Fear not, she was one of the 46,000 other birthday's being celebrated that night with a VAAAAAALCANOOOO cake!!
The blurriness corrects itself after a little minute...
The "experience" birthday celebration was a smashing success that ran late into the night (our spawn cannot sleep in the same bed without giggling for hours until finally a parent has to separate the slap-happy-over-tired little people for the betterment of the whole). Don't worry, they were up by 6:15 and ready for waffles!
Happy Birthday, Sweetheart girl of mine! I love you infinity!
