This is how she rolls!

 Literally, this is how she rolls now that she is seven! This first day as a seven year old has been great, amazing really. And, she didn't want it to end. But my eccentric Reesey Poo still is true to herself even as she finished yet another journey around the sun. Her request tonight... To ride around the neighborhood to view the Christmas lights with her birthday balloons trailing behind her. I love this kid!

 Proof she hasn't changed... She wore Halloween leggings on her Birthday celebration for the second year in a row. She LOVES holidays, she loves them year round. So here she is wearing a birthday shirt and halloween leggings to a Christmas themed birthday party. Did I mention I love this girl?!?!?

 I forgot to bring candles to her birthday party in Williamsburg, but this classy mature seven year old didn't whine one bit. So we blew out a candle on her 'real' birthday during our weekly Girl Scout meeting today. I love her so much my heart could burst.

She lives in the moment with full intensity. She is present and making the most of what the day has to offer. May I learn to live life as fully as she chooses to! Happy Birthday Seven-Year-Old Reesey Poo!

HGH

Elli has been doping. There is no other possible explanation. 

I marked the growth chart with her 3.5 year old height because tomorrow she officially three and a half. That mark went right beside Brady's. Except one difference, it was Brady's FOUR and a half year old height. Elli has four inches on 3.5 yo Brady!!!!  That is crazy talk y'all. 

My baby is no baby. 

Elli Turns Three

Every picture has a story. Every story comes together to create this chapter. Elli rocked her two year old year. Elli was as sweet and easy as I could ask for. Elli made the terrible twos look like a walk in the park. If the next year is anything like the last year, we are in for a treat! 

Elli shows compassion for life. Elli loves the people that she is surrounded by, her village. She has always felt attachment to her village. Being around just her mommy and daddy isn't enough for her. She loves her fan club often created by her big sisters' friends. Elli loves any adult that smiles at her. Chances are if you smile at her, she will ask to eat breakfast at your house. 

Elli loves imaginary play. Elli loves giving kisses out to those that matter. 

Elli loves exploring new parks and playgrounds. She loves to try and tackle new heights without qualm.

Elli doesn't know her age, and will do whatever those around her do. Elli's 'best friends' are usually four times her age.

Elli's connection with her cousin is special and unique.

Elli's sweet tooth has no end.

Elli is fearless.

Elli loves to 'help' out in all household chores.

Elli, even though adventurous, still knows how to kick back and enjoy life.

Elli, like her sisters, loves to read. She also loves to have an audience to read to. 

Elli makes the cutest oompa loompa EVER!!!!!

Elli is a twirler. If her clothes don't twirl they aren't good enough to wear. If her PJs don't twirl they aren't good enough for her.

But this twirler still knows how to shoot a spider web your way.

Elli is a self-made princess.

Elli is a keeper of the Orthner genetics. 

Elli is a lover of her thumb and hair to twirl. Remember, twirling is a must in her life.

Elli loves being a little sister. They can't go far without her creating their shadow.

Well, Elli is just plain super.

Elli on your birthday tomorrow, may all you wishes come true. May you stay sweet. May you continue to approach life with such zest. May life give you twirls up to your standards, and when it doesn't may you use your faithful connection to your village to support you through it all. If you continue life with greatness you approached two with, life will treat you as great as you treat it.

I love you, beautiful! Happy 3rd birthday!

Coming Into Their Own

I will have to say, I am loving the stage that all three of my girls are at now! 7 + 5 + 2 =
BLISS


B-Box is finally at an age where that independence she has long for can mostly be utilized. She gets to help watch Boxy and even pick her up if I need her to. She gets to walk to the bus stop alone in the mornings. She gets to make decisions about her needs in all new ways. These 'freedoms' means a lot less outbursts. Also, school this year is much easier for her, so there is no drama in that department either. I just love B-Box and all that she adds to our family. She is the perfect first born and may even be the text book definition of a first born child!

Boxer has found herself. While four is such a tough age for our girls, it seems five is a period of blossoming. Boxer's spirit is seeming to shine brighter and brighter. And she loves her acting classes and she is loved by the staff and older kids at the acting school. She often gets called to be the first volunteer in acting class. I mean, people, she got picked to play Elsa in a game one class. That is the pinnacle. Last class, the teacher, who is a theater makeup artist, picked Boxer to demonstrate his skills on.

Doesn't that look real? Boxer also got picked (through an audition process) to be a 'baby angel' in this year's Best Christmas Pageant Ever! At a rehearsal the other, a high schooler started talking politely to me, and then she found out that I was Boxer's mom! She went on and on about how special Boxer is and how unique and awesome her personality is and about how she is perfect for the drama world and, and, and.... Yah, this run on sentence is how she was talking. She has arrived, people. And on a sidenote, Pop Pop, her meltdowns are much more infrequent. It may have just been a four year phase...knock on wood. 

Now let's not forget how awesome of a two year Boxy is. She is independent and spirited all in one package. She wants to do EVERYTHING by herself. She dresses and undresses herself. She drags stools around to climb so that she can make her own peanut butter sandwiches. She climbs into her carseat by herself. But all this independence has personality to it. She brushes her own teeth (don't worry I always go in afterwards). So after squeezing the tooth paste on the brush, she always intentionally hits her upper lip with the brush before putting it into her mouth. Therefore, she brushes her teeth with a paste mustache. When she dresses her self, she puts on 2-4 pairs on panties at one time. Gaw, I love my little Boxy girl!

A Tale of a Two Year Old

Potty trained

Full on conversations

Riding her strider/balance bike with grace

Catching air with jumps

Singing Songs (with the correct words)

Addressing everyone by name

Running

Flipping somersaults

Making us laugh (intentionally)

Dressing herself

Playing with the big kids

Cleaning up her surroundings

Sitting in regular chairs for meals

Drinking from regular cups

Scaling up and down the stairs

Twirling legit ballerina twirls

Using manners better than her momma



Yes, she is an awesome Two Year Old

Yes, I am proud Momma

But I am struggling with one major thing...one thing that shows my baby will never be a baby again... one thing that is the exclamation point to all her recent growth

She has calluses on her toes.

Did you hear me, she has calluses on her toes. My baby is growing up and there is no turning back!

Letting Go

I have been struggling lately with my daughter's choice in extra curricular activities. This is an inner struggle that I realize and acknowledge, but I think I have let some of my innerness seep out.

My daughter is very talented (for her age) in ballet. She also shows tremendous potential. She was one of a handful girls advanced to the lower pre-professional level for the fall. Except she wants nothing to do with ballet this fall. Nothing. At. All.

Let me remind you this is something three years ago I wanted her to have nothing to do with. Now I am having a hard time letting her step away. Crazy mama here. I wanted to watch her excel. I wanted to have the kid that is advanced. I wanted to watch her do the Nutcracker just like I did when I was little. I wanted to be the costume seamstress. Then I realized I was saying 'I' instead of 'She'. So I have come to peace with the closing of this door. Yesterday was her last class.

This class was the parent observation day. The whole family came. I stated at dinner to Elli, "We are going to Brady's ballet class." Elli simply replied, "No, Elli's class." She had already had me do a bun in her hair when I fixed up Brady's hair. Luckily I had a tiny pair of dance shoes in the car as well.

Elli walked right into that studio and straight to where all the 6-8 year olds were. She honestly believed it was her turn to dance.

 We politely scooted her over to the side but she didn't stop imitating what she saw.

 Then today, she got into the bun making supplies, asked for a bun and her ballet shoes.

"When one door closes, the two year goes and opens it back up"

A new outlook on Two

My favorite age  is  was 12-24 months. Elli has showed me that two is awesome. I love her at this age. Daily smiles and laughter, people.

Two= sweeping in high heels and a cape

 Two= sporting 'boo boo knees' with her gym leo and requested 'pigtail in the back'

 Two= kissing the daddy that just feel from the dining room chair

 Two= proclaiming you are Elsa at least once a day

 Two= getting into sister's rainboots, getting them to open the door for you and finding a puddle

 Two= pinchable cuteness

 Two= figuring out how to get dizzy

 Two= learning how awesome Daddy is and trying to do what he does

 Two= still giving snuggles to Mommy even though you figured out how awesome Daddy is!

I love TWO!

A top ten for the last ten

The Top Ten Bests of the Last Ten Years

10. The in betweens. You know, those times when there is nothing big happening, nothing to celebrate but life itself. Those are the times that you are really living and loving. So maybe you celebrate the color purple, because you can!

9. Getting to have honeymoon periods over and over again. We can thank the military for this one. There is the downside of being apart often, but my cup is half full, people. So I see it as a chance to run into each others' arms in sheer joy at the end of the apartness.

8. BO... yes, we love each other's body odor! No, BO was the call sign for Brady in utero.

7. Dash-2... Second pregnancy, second girl, but a whole new piece of work

6. Dale... Last but certainly not least, Elli, our little fighter, would not let you consider her as least ever.

5. Leaving stereotypes at the door. Men don't always grill and mow, women don't always scrub the toilets and do dishes. We found each other and compliment each other VERY well.

4. Exploring new activities together. From kayaking the cove on our honeymoon to zip lining for our 10th anniversary.

3. Riding the roller coaster of Karl's naval career. There have been high fives of joy, and pats on the back of pride to smooth over rejection. There have been expected deployments untraveled and unexpected missions avenged. We have 'seen the world'; the world between Pensacola and Norfolk. There have been stories shared in immense detail and classified adventures untold. Without the ups and downs, the roller coaster would not be fun.

2. Learning who we are as an individual by being part of this union of two. You quickly learn what your true priorities are in life when you are in a partnership.

1. Making it to today. Because every new day together is my favorite day. One in three marriages have fallen apart by 10 years. Proud that we are stronger now then ever.

What a lovely decade it has been...I will double down on that!