six

six

yes it's time to come to the realization yet again that both of the girls turn a year older every March and April
and now my older daughter, Madison, is turning six

I love to celebrate their birthdays
but they all seem to always come too quickly year after year

each year I have moments where I just want time to stand still,
 grab their little hands
and hold onto those precious things

just exactly the way they are in that moment

so tiny

so innocent

and so sweet

but reality is...birthdays come whether we are ready for our children to grow up or not

Madison is

six

today

and just like Hayley a month ago...

Madison is beyond excited

she is usually sooo hard to get out of bed in the morning but she popped right up this morning

excited to see her balloons above her bed

and her new lion friend hanging from her chandi

she was grinning ear to ear this morning

as she woke up to her hooting owl alarm the Easter Bunny got her a few days ago

as a matter of fact the first thing she said to me yesterday after I picked her up from school was

I told Miss M--- that "I got an owl alarm and it hoots to wake me up"

I felt as though she was saying it with the Junie B attitude
{we are reading that series together}
and the Junie B attitude makes all the difference when reading that statment
trust me

it was so cute!

As we were talking about her birthday yesterday

 I said

"today is your very last day to be five...can you believe it?"

she said

"I know mom!!!"

Ummm...Hayley seemed more shocked about that statement
{when I told her about her very last day to be three}

I guess I need to get with the six-year-old times now
it's not quite as cool to keep reminding her of such things

 I don't seem to say such surprising things to Madison any longer

she is getting too old and smart like that

so I continued and said

"So what do you think six means?"

Madison said "well, I'm another year older and then comes even better things"

ooooooo...I think I need to be taking her advice when it comes to birthdays

I love this little girl so much

Over the past year I really took it to heart how hard she always was
{and still is}
on herself

it's a hard road to continue on

and I didn't want her being stuck on it
feeling like she has to be perfect

so I made it a mission to help her come out of her shell more

to relax

to enjoy

to know it is perfectly fine to not get things right all the time

and have to work at them

I seem to use myself as an example of not getting things right all the time
it definitely makes her laugh
and to me that's worth her knowing that grace is for everyone's mistakes
or other times when things have to be practiced and tried again

over the past year she has started taekwondo

which has been the best thing for her and her confidence

I'm so proud of how far she has come

from the beginning of class not wanting to get up in front of others

to now she loves to do so
{most of the time}

she still has her moments of struggle but she has come a long way

I truly think it is amazing

Madison is my mama bear

focused and on point all the time
all.the.time

I seem to joke with her a lot

I love her silly side because when she shows it...

 you can really see her unique and wonderful personality

 

 it is the most beautiful thing because her face shines and sparkles

 her confidence and belief in herself grows every.single.day

a couple of months ago her class was on Channel 5 doing 5 is #1

and when I picked her up from school I asked her because I knew it would make her laugh

"Did you get wild and crazy on camera and do your Taylor Swift dancing and singing?"

She replied "Mom!!!...now you know we weren't supposed to do that...
we talked about this...

My teacher Miss M said we were not supposed to be wild and crazy on camera"

I said "darn...now I won't get to see your Taylor dance moves"

she laughed and said "I'm silly with you guys!"
and yes she is

Kindergarten has done more than wonderful things for Madison

she has had the very best teacher

and the perfect fit to Madison's personality ~ I couldn't be more thankful 
for Miss M---

 Madison makes friends so easily 

 she is so caring and sweet

you know... a likeable girl

{that statement reminds me of Hope Floats...but it's true}
here is part of a note Madison's friend wrote her...I just love it

Madison loves reading, school work, and projects

she loves to always have a pad with her to draw and write in

she loves to joke around

except when the jokes on her...
she wasn't too fond of Hayley and I's spider in her car seat joke we played on her a couple months ago
but she loves to stand around the corner, jump out, and scare the daylights out of me

where I'm literally screaming because she did such a great job

she is the very best helper
and loves her sister more than words could ever describe

she couldn't be a better big sister or friend

Madison's special gift is the way she makes others feel

she always cares how someone is and loves to do nice things for others

she definitely is a beach and summer lover

but occasionally and randomly talks about snow
in the middle of summer

odd, perhaps
...but cute because she can be so random with thoughts

she loves Taylor Swift like her sister loves Eric Church,

 loves to dance and put on fashion shows for me in my high heels

 and loves to take pictures with her camera she got for Christmas

she loves, loves to be outside,
ride her bike,
 and run with me

I say all the time that another 5-6 years she will be kicking my hiney on runs

I can't wait for that as it will make me a proud mama

Madison is insightful at times but so very literal at other times

the other day I had to run an errand for work after the girl's class

we were driving on the back roads and came to a stop light

there were absolutely no cars around

and she asked

"Mom why is the light red when we are the only ones here?"

I said "kind of silly isn't it"

so of course I just keep talking with them about this and that
and sooner or later

both of them say at once...

"Mom...mom!!!...you can go...the light is green"

I said "oh ~ thank you!!
What would I do without you both?"

Madison said "Well...you'd still be sitting at the light Mom!!!"

oh for the love of her...I couldn't stop laughing

Today I most definitely cannot wait to celebrate her and how caring and sweet she is

she makes everyone feel special everyday

today will be wonderful to celebrate her

she is so excited about her beach cake

to have quesadillas tonight with family

and she said....."as soon as I wake up tomorrow...I am six

and cannot wait for all the fun"

she is definitely a chocolate lover over vanilla
like her daddy

loves cheese, yogurt, broccoli, strawberries, and cheeseburgers

 she loves to wear my sunglasses and come up with her own poses

as I was taking pictures the other day
"Miss Director" said
"I get to do my own poses right Mom???"

I laughed and said "why of course"

so here are her favorite poses she did

Happy sixth birthday my beautiful butterfly

I love you

I'm proud of you

and I will always, always believe in you

Happy Birthday

Madison Ella

first day

well it has been so long

i almost forgot my password to my blog

really...I did

and I miss blogging

and checking in on my blog friends

I've been a bad one back to you all this summer

but it really has been a great summer

with my focus going into family and business

 i was so inspired today by my little girl going to kindergarten

it may have just given me what i needed to start writing on the blog again:)

--------------------------

today was Madison's first day of kindergarten

and Hayley and I struggled during the day and in the morning

but Hayley and I stuck together for Madison

missed her

but had a great day ourselves:)

i had to drop some more paperwork at her school today

and we caught a quick glimpse of madison at lunch time

she was laughing and smiling...

just what I wanted to see

 Hayley and i walked out of her school

and she turns to me and says

"but mama...I just wanted to give her a hug'

I replied

"I know...me too"

as we both had a little cry back to the car again

then i had to make her smile for both of our sake:)

As Madison came home

Hayley gave her sis a big hug that melted my heart

Hayley said to Madison

"I really wanted to give you a hug today"

it just melted me

{waiting at the bus stop down the street}

I'm a proud mama today

of both of my little girls

Madison's kindergarten teacher sent home this lovely poem

I thought I'd share with you all

it brought tears all over again

but so true

First Day of School

Author Unknown

She started school this morning,

and she seemed so very small.

As I walked there beside her

In the Kindergarten hall.

And as she took her place beside

the others in the class,

I realized how all too soon

Those first few years can pass.

Remembering, I saw her as

She first learned how to walk.

The words that we alone made out

When she began to talk.

This little girl so much absorbed

In learning how to write.

It seems as though she must have grown

To girlhood overnight.

My eyes were blurred by hastily

I brushed the tears away

Lest by some word or sign of mine

I mar her first big day

Oh how I longed to stay with her

And keep her by the hand

To lead her through the places

That she couldn't understand.

And something closely kin to fear

Was mingled with my pride.

I knew she would no longer be

A baby by my side.

But she must have her chance to live,

To work her problems out,

The privilege to grow and learn

What life is all about.

And I must share my little girl

With friends and work and play;

She's not a baby anymore ~

She's in Kindergarten today.