First Birthday Party

Aloha! Short of a roasted pig we had everything a Luau should, grass skirts, hula dancers, pina coladas and a guest of honor, Aliya. She toddled around in her grass skirt and it swayed as her baby hips moved in an exagetrated side to side motion thanks to her little diaper. The skies were blue and the air was warm, it was a perfect day for a birthday. All these people there to celebrate her life and she knew it. Sugar highs combined with unlimited attention would have most kids in a frenzy but not Ali, she played and laughed and hammed it up all day.

Smash cake pictures

1 year pictures

Maa's new kitchen

Metal Mouth

Look at the cute tooshie in the air

Pool Shark

Planet Jump

Congrats Susan!

Rob's work had a baby shower in honor of Susan and baby Lucas.

Nanimaa and her Mituri

Adam Birthday Party and Haggis

Yummy...? Rob brought over a culinary experience for dad and Adam when we were in Deland a few weeks back. I think the only one who likes this stuff, or will ever like it, is Rob.

I scream when Ali eats icecream

Maddis 10th Birthday

April 11, yes, over a month ago and we missed it. We made it up to her in a big way. Extra oatmeal and pumpkin crackers! Happy 10th Birthday little pooch!

Her tail swooshes around in circles and her cold nose pushes under my arm to entice me to pet her. You wouldn't know it if you just met Maddi that she is the sweetest dog, her bark is loud and fierce enough to make any man run in fear, I speak from experience, but for those of us privileged enough to be accepted by her she is the sweetest most caring, protecting, loving dog.

I love...

the way you smile

your love of laughing and making others laugh

you shy downward head tilt where your eyes still look up

your obsession with books

the way you crawl as fast as you can when you see a door or the gate open hoping to make it through
before you get caught

the way you look back to see if I am watching you when you reach for the night light and smile when I catch you

you laughing as I chase you and your dad around or down the stairs

the way you hold on to my arm

the curly whiffs of hair

your love hate relationship with brushing your teeth

the way you gravitate toward family pictures

the way you feed maddi, even food you like and want to eat

your obsession with bananas

they way you try to put on your dads glasses

when you hold up any object as if it is a phone

the way you try to communicate with me

how you call me mama

coming into your room in the morning and seeing you standing up in your crib waiting for me, calling out to me, "mama mama mama" it melts me

your daring adventurous spirit, because I know it comes from me

the trust you have in me and your dad to keep you safe

the rolls of your thighs

the crease in your neck

penelope

the endless babbling, especially when you are mad, "yabadaba baba tru ta go ba me fafla cho be maja nera fho!"

when you are so quite and when you are so loud

how you keep a secret personality for when you are home and comfortable, the wild child, most don't get to see

the way you keep up appearances that you are an angel... you are most of the time

how you pick your nose when you are nervous

the way you put your arm by your head when you give high-fives

how you are such a picky eater, another trait from me

the way you try and play games just to laugh

your eyes

the sweet nose

how you hate having your hands trapped in a shirt

your pointing

the way you love your dad and light up when you see him

your willfulness, a trait from your dad

how you hate socks and shoes, my barefoot baby, just like your grandma

the way your nose crinkles in the middle when you smile

I could go on forever
I just love, love, love everything about you

Today!

BIG BIG DAY FOR ALIYA!
Walking- she is really walking, all over the place!
Mama- she is calling me mama all the time!
Bye-Bye- she said "bye-bye" while waving to grandma, paw-paw and grammy today!
Everything clicked today for Ali and she just started to do all these things!

My first mother's day

For mothers day I had grand plans, sleeping in, breakfast in bed, flowers, pedicure, bubble bath and a family party in honor of Grandma Myrl. It was sure to be a fantastic day filled with fluff but for my first mothers day I had something much better. I learned the true meaning of mother's day. Grandma Myrl was admitted to the ICU today, mother's day, and the in the hospital she was surrounded by all 8 of her children, a handful of her grandchildren and great grandchildren and in this moment I realized that even though the fluff is nice it is not what mothers day is about. It is being the best mother, daughter and granddaughter you can be, especially when it counts. We may not have had a Spurlock party, complete with 24 hour fruit salad and baked beans, but we had each other. We were all there in support of the mother of our family. And really whats the point of the fluff if there is nothing else. So while my first mothers day was not what I expected, it was perfect. It was seeing my husband being a good son, grandson, husband and father. It was watching as family came together not only for better but for worse. It was finding out that, even in the ICU, Grandma Myrl was talking about seeing Aliya. There were no flowers, no chocolates, no cards but there was so much love. Happy Mother's Day


P.S. Strike the last part, I wrote this before Rob came home from the hospital, he brought home flowers.

Skye's 4th Birthday

Having Cousins rocks! Ali went to her cousin Skye's 4th birthday, she tumbled, kissed her first boy, then ate cake. What a day! Happy 4th birthday Skye!

Busch Gardens

We randomly went to Busch Gardens (benefit of having season passes) the other day and Ali was over the moon. She danced, played, clapped and had a great time. My daring adventurous girl loves rides and went on a few in the sesame street area. She was super excited when we were on the sky ride with the wind blowing in her face. We are confirmed that she is a music fiend and deathly afraid of Elmo (only in person, she loves him on tv). We stopped to see the b-bop music show by the exit on our way out and pushed her stroller to the front row. She entertained everyone by dancing to the music and clapping her hands. She had the whole stroller rockin' and rollin'! Loved it and her!

Hello

Much to my dismay, Aliya loves cell phones, whenever she sees one she reaches for it and if it happens to ring she puts her hand to her ear and says "hello". Super cute!