Happy Birthday, Rosalicious!

Is my sweet Rosie Girl seriously 8 years old?! How on earth did that happen? When did she get so big? So grown up?

We spent Rosie's birthday weekend welcoming the Christmas season, starting with waiting at the Avenue to watch both Rosie and her sister march in the Annual White Marsh Avenue Parade. Rosie walked behind the float this year - and had such a big, beautiful smile as she threw candy to her brother and friends. It's a parade - nothing serious- but it doesn't take much to bring a tear to my eye! I love watching Rosie, in everything she does. She is just beauty and grace.

My Dearest Rosalicious -

You changed my world before I even saw your beautiful face. From the moment I learned of my pregnancy, I felt you pushing me to be a better person. Nearly 9 years since that moment, you are still my motivation.

You have a sense of justice that is enviable. If everyone could live a little more like you, the world would be a much better place.

 From the time you were 20 months old and had me pick up a rotten, nasty fruit salad from the Babies R Us parking lot (It not nice to litter, Mommy), to encouraging me to be compassionate when it is far from how I feel...every one of our interactions inspires me to be the very best possible version of me. 

You are loved and beloved. The birthday cards from your friends all spoke of your kindness, love and grace - and you exhibit these without even trying. 

Everyone loves my Rosie Girl - and I am so proud to call her my daughter.

The Cutest Little Lump

I had an awesome workout today. A really, really great leg workout. Killed it. Killed it so hard, I could barely walk. I was on a crazy workout high.

Nothing kills a workout high quite as quickly as seeing this:

That is my Littlest Love, Angelina, sound asleep at the top of the climbing structure in the KidZone at the White Marsh Merritt. The staff told me she had been asleep up there for quite some time - which is why I didn't hear her yelling my name during my workout. Her siblings stayed home, which is why she remained undisturbed. She played for a few minutes, climbed up to the top and put herself to sleep.

Fun part for me: after taking my frustrations out on my legs to the point where I could barely walk across the room, I had to climb up to the top to get her! I have never been so grateful to have a slide at my disposal! (Makes me wish I could install a slide in our house instead of steps.)

For the record - this was, indeed, the beginning of a three-day cold for my Angelina. Fever of 103!

Answered Prayers

This morning started like any other school day - I went to the gym, came home, made breakfast and lunch for the kids and then hurried to get us all out the door on time. I was shoving lunches and gloves into bags at the red lights on Bel Air Road when I noticed a note from RJ's teacher that was stapled to his bag. (Notes stapled to the canvas bag is the standard communication for the Bridges schools). 

After seeing the kids off to school, I finally took a moment to read the note. What I read brought a tear to my eye and made my heart race.

MY SON IS READING!!

He is two months into kindergarten, so I know what you are thinking: this isn't a big deal. Oh. But it is.

Just a year ago, we were told by those "in the know" that RJ wasn't meeting learning standards and should be "evaluated" for a spectrum disorder. So we went to the public school and demanded an IEP evaluation. We went to KKI and demanded a specialist evaluation. We spent November and December shuffling RJ downtown to meet with Dr. Megan, his "talking doctor" so that she could evaluate him in a variety of different ways and circumstances.

At the end of it all - Dr. Megan told us that we had a perfectly normal and stubborn 5-year-old boy with a beautiful and sweet personality. 

After months of fighting with the God-awful Elmwood Elementary, part of the atrocious Baltimore County School System, they told me that my standards were too high and perhaps I should be a little more realistic.

Ugh.

When The Dictator at The School That Shall Not Be Named changed things up and caused our mass exodus, I worried the most about RJ. Rosie had her teacher for a second year and Angelina had nothing to compare the "new school" to...but RJ...he was attached to his teachers and his friends...what would happen to him?

Well. Now I know what would happen to him. He would flourish. He jumped right in and flourished. He blew me away and even impressed himself in the process.

One of my best days as a parent. Ever. Just incredible.

Spectacular Spectacles

Several weeks ago, our Rosie girl started complaining about headaches. She seemed to come home with a headache every afternoon. She didn't want to read and seemed to be asking for Motrin on a regular basis. She had also been complaining about her teeth hurting - so I wasn't clear as to the cause of her headaches. I just knew that I needed to get to the bottom of them. While at her parent-teacher conferences, I learned that she was really starting to struggle with her reading and didn't seem to have any interest in reading or improving her skills. So I called Dr. Jensen.

Dr. Jensen is the Pediatric Ophthalmologist we saw when Rosie was a baby and complained about eye pain. We also saw her when Angelina's tear ducts were clogged and she needed surgery. This doctor is amazing, so I knew were in good hands. 

After a brief exam with the nurse, I knew my girl was going to need glasses. You could just tell that straight reading with both eyes was a real struggle for her. Sure enough - after being dilated and examined by Dr. Jensen, we had a cause for the headaches: my Rosie Girl is far-sighted in one eye.

I expected tears...or maybe disappointment. Nope. Not this time around. She was beyond thrilled. She had an answer to her problems! Our ride back to school revolved around planning for glasses and wanting to know how soon she could pick them out. 

After school yesterday, we made our way to the Avenue to pick out a pair. Without fail, Rosie picked out the most expensive glasses from each and every section! So was so cute and so excited that I couldn't say no! We walked out with no one but two pairs of designer glasses - one to keep at home and the other to keep at school. 

She is unbelievably excited to read now - both at school and at home. She only needs to wear them for school work or close-viewing activities. She doesn't need to wear them all of the time...so her running round-offs into the room can safely continue! Dr. Jensen expects that she will outgrow her need for glasses within the next few years, definitely before middle school but likely before she hits double digits! 

A Letter to My Baby

 Dear Angelina,

I’m sitting on my bed, typing, and just watching you sleep. I could watch you sleep forever. You are a little girl that is always on the go – never still – except in these nighttime peaceful moments. I selfishly invited you to sleep in my bed tonight. I know that it is your preferred place to slumber, but tonight is not about your preferences. Tonight is about me having one last night with my baby before she officially becomes a big girl.

Tomorrow, you start school.

How did we get here? Where did our time together go? It feels as though just a few minutes have passed since we welcomed you into our world. Baby girl, I didn’t know how much you would change my life for the better.

From the moment I learned of your existence, my world was a better place. You were an Angel, a gift from God at a time when I needed joy the most. Carrying you gave me strength. Your first cries were literally music to my ears – those tiny, baby wails were the most beautiful sounds that I had ever heard. I asked aloud if that was actually your cry.  

Here we are, a few heartbeats later, and my beautiful baby with the amazing cry is about to be a big girl…experiencing something without me. Angelina, I am not ready for this. I am not ready for your baby phase to be over. I have stood by and tolerated all of your milestones – weaning off of nursing, sleeping through the night, learning to walk, finding your voice, leaving your crib and more. I have tried to not panic as you learned to assert yourself and express your opinion. In truth – I have enjoyed each and every stage of your growing even more than the last. But this? This, my little girlfriend, is intolerable.

For whatever reason, I just feel like my heart is breaking. Tomorrow I will drive you up to a school – a beautiful Montessori school – and I will entrust my sweet, funny, charming girl to a group of strangers. Will they just adore you? Everyone does. Will they laugh and be entertained by you? I hope so. You bring so much joy to my life, I can only hope you bring joy to them as well.

I accepted the challenge of motherhood long before you came into my world. I embraced it, knowing that it was my responsibility to teach you, your brother and your sister how to become wonderful, fully-functioning and responsible adults someday. I need to teach you how to be a good, kind person. A loving soul. A good friend. I was completely unprepared for just how much you would teach me.

 
You have taught me to truly appreciate the little things…and be genuinely overjoyed at as many turns as possible. I love watching you open presents. You never seem concerned about what is actually in the box – but you over over-the-moon that someone took the time to give you the box. I have learned that everything in this life can be a beautiful song. Even things that you aren’t so happy about. I have learned the value of being comfortable with alone time. I’ve never been good at being alone. From a very early age, you have been able to entertain yourself happily for hours. Being so comfortable with yourself gives you a whole new appreciation for your friends. You don’t need them. You want them.

 I know that our journey is far from over, my sweet Angelina. My tears are really just silly. You are so ready for this change – you want it. I’m just not ready to accept that the time for this change is now! I am looking forward to learning so much more from you.

Tomorrow? Tomorrow you will walk into school, an excited, ready-to-learn big girl who is about to take on her world and win. Tonight? Tonight you are my baby. And I love you with all of my heart.