Abby's Birthday

Anna Claire will always have a special place in her heart for Abby Williams. Abby and AC have been together and separated in their classes off and on for the past two years, but whenever they get together they pick right back up where they left off. Abby is such a sweetheart and I actually went to middle school with her mama. I am glad they are friends.

Saturday was Abby's birthday. I know Kelly (Abby's mom) wanted to have the party at the same location as AC's, but it's football season right now so they don't allow them there. I thought the party was awesome though - loved being by the river, and loved going to a park we rarely go to - McGregor Park.

Between the playground, the steps leading down to the river, the water fountain (they loved this), and the amazing spread of food, the kiddos had a ball, and I would imagine they all took a good nap...possibly the Mommies too!

One of the things I love most about Abby...she's a daredevil. AC takes more chances when she's around Abby than she would on her own :)

I loved watching the kids take turns trying to figure out how to turn on this water fountain and then seeing the delight on their faces when they finally did. ;)

I could just kick myself for not using the new "panning" trick I learned that would have kept AC focused in this shot while blurring the background. Oh, application.

Love this pic of Lucas.

Presh.

She would not have elected to climb this without Abby. Seriously.

Hey...where's Anna Claire?

There she is!

Watching her Mommy light the birthday candle.

Disney princess Easy Bake oven? I think Santa needs to bring one of these to our house!

Sweet birthday girl!

Funnies

I promised my mom today that I'd write these things down:

Anna Claire continues to protest when she doesn't like what we have to say, "Don't say that to me, Mommy!" "Don't say that to me, Daddy!"
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Anna Claire's teacher said a friend in her class was crying, and AC went over to her, caressed her cheek with her hand, and said, "Aww, you're so pitiful."
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Anna Claire asked Larry if we were having an appetizer for dinner the other night.

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 (Anna Claire sings the Bubble Guppies  "Got a bunch of bones inside me" then has this convo with Larry:

Anna Claire: Daddy, that your collarbone? (points to Larry's collarbone)
Larry: That's my collarbone, sweetheart.
Anna Claire: This my collarbone. (points to her own) It keep my head from falling off.


For those not in the know....

Apple Orchard Visit

Today marked Anna Claire's first visit to an apple orchard. And not the one I originally intended to take her to. I called Shade Tree Farm after school to ask if there were any apples left for picking, and was told that they don't do "u pick" anymore because people were stealing from them.

The lady did say that end of October there would be Apple Cider day where kids can see cider being made, take a wagon ride, and do an apple craft. So we just might do that!

She also said she remembered seeing signs for an orchard at Exit 19. So that's where we headed, but no luck finding it. So I told AC, "You know what, Mommy knows some friends who have an orchard on their property. Let's just go ask if we can pick some apples. It never hurts to ask."

"Let's go, Mommy!" she encouraged from the back seat.

We made it there, and they were happy for us to pick, especially after meeting Anna Claire.

We drove down to the little grove of trees and took a steep walk uphill to get to them. Found three different varieties. They are really ugly little apples, but among some of the most delicious ones I've ever tasted. Anna Claire loved hers and ate it up.

Hard to find any low enough to reach though. Most of the ones ready to pick were 6 ft or higher on the trees. The 7 that I picked, i had to figure out what branch they were on and pull the branch down low enough that I could grab them.

Anna Claire loved sitting under the trees and eating her apples. So did I. It was just what I needed to get me through this crazy, busy and stressful week.

Pre-Primer Word List Fun

Just for fun, I had AC read what words she could from this list, and then I circled in blue. She wanted to color the words, and when she was done, we were done. And I love her miscues...and that she has miscues at 3. (Miscues are in black pen) ;)

She thinks any words that start with "O" spell "Olli"...name of one of her BFFs at the Red Barn :)

First Day of Dance Class

Anna Claire was so excited about her dance class. Mommy didn't know that she needed her tap shoes for the first class, so she was telling me all about how her friends had tap shoes. "I want some too!"

She was thrilled when we got home to see that she had tap shoes just like her friends.

AC did not want to take off her leotard...or her tap shoes!

 Dance (ballet and tap) is actually offered at the Red Barn. What a blessing that she is able to participate in something she will love during my work day. We couldn't possibly pull of another extracurricular in the afternoons with my crazy schedule and needing to go and check on Momma. 

In a couple of months when I ask her to choose between gymnastics and dance (she currently does both), I may consider enrolling her in classes at the studio because I want to watch!! I also wonder if more is offered there than in the large class she's in at the RB.

On the other hand, she loves being with all of her friends. She told me she was sad that she didn't get to go with Miss Mary to gymnastics with her friends at the Red Barn. I explained to her that we go to gymnastics at the big gym and that it is better: big trampoline, bars, and balance beams. I asked her then to make a choice: going to gymnastics with her friends or going to the big gym. She didn't hesitate, "I go to the big gym!"

Grandparents' Day

So glad Pop was able to go to Anna Claire's Grandparents' Day! They had cookies and punch and it is all she's wanted to talk about this evening.

Pop loved meeting AC's little friends and having her show him around. Very exciting for both!

On the way home she kept asking, "Where Pop at?"

I explained that he was probably already at home. She said, "I gonna go see Pop in the den and play with Stanley and Kitty, OK?"

When we got home, AC did play with Pop. Larry and I were cracking up at AC's honesty:
"Pop, you have too much junk. You need throw some of this away, Ok?"

Later, we visited Meme, who was visibly grumpy and agitated. She would not get up, do her exercises, and was reluctant to do anything she was asked to do today by her nurses. Anna Claire announced:
"Meme need listen to the nurses. She need time out! Maybe we could say to Meme, 'Excuse me?!'"

On the way to see Meme, Anna Claire mentioned wanting to see Grandma and Freddie:
"I want go see Grandma and Freddie 'gain! Where are they, Mommy? Can I go see them? Can we go Olive Garden?"

Life without her...

This may seem like an abysmal title for a post, but I can't help but think about how the past few days of 24/7 caring for my mom have made me feel so disconnected from my precious little girl, and I don't mind saying, I hate it. 

I do. I realize that what I need to do is to strike a balance and that no matter what is going on with Momma from a health standpoint, I have to always make sure that my number one priority is being a mommy.

It's kind of like AC's fave show, Mike the Knight. Once Mike realizes he's screwed up, he says, "It's time to be knight, and do it right."

I also received a message from my sister-in-law today offering guidance and wisdom. She shared her experience with her dad, and reminded me that my family (Larry and Anna Claire) always need to come first, no matter what.

My Momma also needs her independence and there is such a thing as helping too much.  In trying to help, sometimes we go overboard and do a disservice to those we care about. I see now, looking back, that I could have let Momma do much more for herself, which would actually give her more independence and dignity.

Tomorrow begins a sense of normalcy and renewed routine. I will sprinkle into this periodic visits to see my mom, but not to the point of feeling disconnected from my child like I've felt this past week. No sir.

I can't imagine life without her, and luckily, I don't have to. :)