Julianna's 6th birthday letter

Dear Julianna,

My darling sweets, you're another year older and another year wiser. This was a big year full of big changes. You started kindergarten and were immediately challenged to be your own person. You did not back down from who you are and very directly dealt with the peers that challenged you. Your peers' doubt about who you are never even went past the first day of school. I admire that about you, as I am someone who was more concerned about the opinion of others for much too long...and especially at your age.

You are having a good year at school. You have tons of friends and lots of fun. You get a wee bit distracted and lost in your own world occasionally, but really, who am I kidding? That is going as expected. You may have gotten that tendency from yours truly. Right now you're not getting too distracted to get along okay with your teacher and your fellow students, but you might want to think about how to better notice what's going on around you. It will become an important skill as life goes on....speaking from experience.

This year you have done a bit more testing the limits in the parenting department. Interestingly, you try really hard to be stubborn, but it usually ends up that you don't give up the fight, but get distracted by something and forget the fight instead. On a recent morning Daddy and I told you if you didn't get dressed then you would wear your pajamas to school that day. The pajamas you were wearing just happened to be the clothes you had worn the day before, still on because of the attempted stubbornness from the bedtime battle from the night before. So, because you just don't get too worried about things like that, Daddy and I lost that battle with you. While our point was that if you don't get dressed in the time allotted in a morning, you will run out of time and have to wear something embarrassing to school. However, you didn't care one little bit. Not one. You wore yesterday's outfit to school with no problem and without lick of shame or embarrassment. Not that we were shaming you.....but girl, you just didn't care. Point: Julianna.

You continue to be completely happy and laidback about most things. You love to sing and play and make people laugh. You love to chat to yourself and write and play alone outside. You also continue to love to play with Lily or Drew....but never Lily AND Drew. I get that....the dynamic isn't an easy one when you three get together sometimes. You often are a willing student in "Lily's School on Life, Handwriting, and Math" and you are also usually a willing participant to "Drew's School of Basketball, Football, and Wrestling" as long as the injuries stay to a minimum. That said, you were grateful Drew got a tackle dummy for Christmas so that you didn't have to be tackled by him so much anymore. (I'm working on stopping his habit of injuring you. Promise.)

What can I say, sweet one? You are just so fun to have around, so easy to be with. We are so grateful that you are a member of this family. You bring a much needed shot of joy to our family unit and we love you very much. Please keep on keepin' on when it comes to being yourself. Dad and I will keep cheering you on and supporting you from our front row seat. We love the view from here. Thanks for everything. I love you.

Much love,
Mommy

 

Julianna's first day of kindergarten letter

My darling Julianna,

You started school a few days ago. I'm not going to lie....it was probably in my top five worst days of my life. You are only reading this letter after you've gotten old enough not to have real guilt about going off to school and leaving your poor, grieving mother. So I feel like I can be an open book about how I was feeling.

To be honest, when Lily started kindergarten, it was a huge step. It felt life altering, and it was. However, it was also a relief when she started going to school all day. I had a three-year-old and a one-year-old and I didn't have time or energy to grieve too much when she left. I know it was a bittersweet transition when she started kindergarten but I had my hands full and I was okay. Two years later, Drew started kindergarten and it hit me a little harder in my gut. I was pretty sad that first day and you and I may or may not have gone and stalked his first lunch recess time together. We both missed him and it was a little bit harder than with my first. However, I still had you, I told myself. I felt like I would soak up every bit of Julianna time I could (and felt a little guilt for my middle child that never had gotten that day after day one-on-one time that you girls got).

This summer I was dreading the start of school. The summer wouldn't go slow enough and when Lily broke her arm it just seemed to make everything go even faster. We were always looking ahead to the next thing for Lily's recovery and trying to stay positive. This had us always counting down the days and weeks toward no cast....but it was also the countdown to the big start to kindergarten. When it finally arrived, I kept my calendar open. I didn't want to do any crying out in public and I thought my introverted personality would relish the quiet of the first day of school. Boy, was I wrong. I came home and was just so sad. I was pathetic, actually. You were my youngest, off to kindergarten, and I was at home feeling sorry for myself. It was like the rug being pulled out from under me. All of my preparations for this day, all my efforts to not lose myself in motherhood, were lost in my grief. I was suddenly the stay-at-home mom with no one to stay home with. It was just a lot harder than I had expected it to be. You were my buddy, my sidekick. You were a joy to have around all day and I just was wishing I could have even more time with you.

Fast forward a few days and I am better. I'm still a little sad because I am under no illusions about how fast you will grow up now. Starting school seems to put kids on the fast track to growing up. It feels like just a few months ago that Lily was in your position and now she's starting fourth grade. However, I also know that it is the next step in your life and you were more than ready to take it. You didn't know about all of my grief as you took your steps into kindergarten and that's they way I will keep it for as long as I can.

You liked your first days of kindergarten. You are way more shy that I had anticipated. All of your life you have been an expert at making friends and getting along with people. However, as kindergarten neared, you did develop a little more shyness than you'd ever had before. I'm sure that you will warm up and make lots of friends and be just fine, but I hope that it's not with too many growing pains. You are one of the most likeable people on the planet, so I am hoping that you will just get out there and show all those potential friends how awesome you are.

During the first day of school I obviously was in no state to being writing you a letter about going off to school. It wasn't until five days later, today, that I could finally have some perspective on the whole experience. Today we went to the lake and got the boat out for only the second time all summer. You requested a tube ride and during that epic tube ride, and I do mean EPIC, I had an epiphany. Around every turn and spin of the boat, for every bounce the tube hit on the water, you were joyous. I have never in my life seen someone enjoy an experience so fully. You were absolutely present and carefree and happy and filled with pure joy. The look on your face was exactly what I needed to see. That face and those giggles and squeals were what told me that you would be okay. I have nothing to worry about. If you face life with the amount of joy and risk-taking as you did behind that boat, I have nothing left to teach you. You will absolutely do just fine. And I will too.

Thank you, Julianna. Thank you for all the amazing lessons you have taught me. Thank you for your generosity of spirit and your love for life. As you grow, you will teach many lessons to many people. You will teach these lessons just by being yourself and that is something we can both be proud of.

I love you more than words can say.
Love,
Mommy

 

Julianna's been telling me that she wants to have long hair again when she is six. She is less than six months from her sixth birthday I was telling her that if she wanted long hair by then, she needed to start letting it grow. We had this conversation about it:

Julianna: "I want my hair this long." Pointing to her hips.

Me: "Whoa! That will take you awhile! You better get started soon."

Julianna: "How do you grow your hair out?"

Me: "You go to the barber and have him shape it every couple of months to allow the shorter hairs to catch up to the longer hairs...and you wait."

Pause...
Me: "Why do you  want to grow your hair out that long?"

Julianna: "To donate it.....To Mimi. So we can do art with it."

Me: "Ummm....well, people usually donate it to Locks of Love so that they can make wigs for people who've lost their hair."

Julianna: "But, we can do art. That's a nice thought, right?"

Me: "Well...."

There's going to be a BALL?!

Me to Tom: "My cousin Morgan's wedding is officially December 20th."

Julianna: "A wedding?"

Me: "Do you know what a wedding is?"

Julianna: "Yes. It's where people get married!"

Me: "Yes, and then there is a party with food and sometimes dancing after."

J: "OH!! There's going to be a BALL?! I will probably do some of my breakdance moves!" [Jumps up and runs to Drew] "Drew! There's going to be a BALLLL! We can breakdance!"

Drew: "Ugh. You don't breakdance at a BALL! That's where you do the tango or something. I don't want to go to a ball! Maybe a ballgame but not a ball!"

For some reason, knowing Morgan's fiancé Erik, I imagine he might agree with Drew. Am I right Morgan? :)

Love notes and the rodeo

I kid you not, all of these conversations happened with my children within one hour.

Julianna made me a note that said "I love you" decorated with hearts and X's and O's. She brought it to me and expressed how much she loves me. Then she started to help me make dinner. She poured the milk into the mac and cheese for me and turned to load it in the dishwasher. When she did that she let the biggest toot ever go. Then she looked at me and said, "Thar toot was my 'I love you text to Daddy."

Two minutes later, Tom called and I told him what happened. He laughed and said, "She knows my language, I guess."

Then, just a bit ago, I was taking Drew to baseball practice. He's really tired from DNC camp this week and late nights with baseball games and rain storms. So, he says, "I have to start school in two months! I feel like summer just started and I already have to go back!" I tried to reassure him that there was two and a half months left of summer but he literally cried he was so sad that summer was going too fast. I changed the subject on him. I told him we better look up when the Pretty Prairie Rodeo was so we could plan to go. He asked if that was a good one and I told him it was Kansas's largest night rodeo. He thought for a minute and said, "Hm. So they will probably have all the best buckers and bulls that that one? I'm happy that you're taking me to that one and not just any old rodeo."

Then after a couple more minutes of driving, I got his sports glasses out for him and was wiping them off on my shirt. He was getting impatient and I told him, "Hang on, Buddy. I'm getting it cleaned off." He said, "You don't call me 'buddy' a lot. Dad does. He used to call me buddy all. The. Time." I asked, "Oh yea? Did you like it when Dad calls you buddy? It's kinda nice when someone gives you a nickname. Makes me feel loved." He answered, "Yea, I liked it. It didn't make me feel loved, but I knew he liked me."

These kids!

The letter I didn't think I'd ever be ready to write

Dear Julianna,

So, your visit to kindergarten passed and I didn't write a letter. Then you preschool recognition happened and I still didn't write a letter. Then your last day of preschool happened and still no letter. I want you to know that it's not because you're the youngest and it's not because I didn't have anything to say or that I forgot about the Kindergarten Visit Letter. I thought about the blog and the letter I wanted to write to you on every day that has passed for the last month. I didn't sit down and write it because I just had too much to say and too many thoughts to try and put it into a letter to my little girl. My littlest girl that isn't so little any more and by the time you read this you will probably be a very grown up girl, indeed. So I'm not making excuses. I just wanted to let you know that this letter is hard to write and terribly difficult to think about.

I know you know this, but on the day that you were born, you didn't cry. Not once. When they put you on my chest when you were very first born you just laid their looking around not making a peep. That moment kind of freaked me out, as the only other babies I had witnessed the births of were your brother and sister. And they certainly let their presence known upon arrival. I was so worried that I asked them to check to see if you were breathing. You were. I can still see the nurse standing there and assuring me that you were fine, perfect even. She was sure that it was just your temperament. You were going to be an easy-going person. She was correct. You arrived sweet and easy-going and you have stayed just that way. I have never met anyone like you and I love that story so much because it perfectly captures your spirit and who you are way down deep.

The whole first day and night after you were born there were no tears. The closest you came to unhappy was when you would get hungry you would meow at me that you were ready to eat. You are still that way on most days. You love to be with people and make friends easily. You are willing to change a plan or adjust what you want if it doesn't work for everyone. I'm not sure where that came from because all that niceness doesn't make you a pushover. You like for people to get along and be happy when they are around you, but you don't let them boss you around. Most of the time you will stand up for yourself and not let anyone push you around. What an amazing combination of traits to have at five years old! I can't believe how lucky Dad and I are to be your parents. You make our job really easy most of the time.

Julianna, as far as kindergarten goes, you are more than ready. You've been ready for awhile. I'm trying to get myself ready too. I'll get there soon enough, but right now I just can't believe we are here with you. We are at the moment where you spread your wings and start to really develop outside of our home. You are leaving my bubble now and it's hard to see you go. I have no doubt you are going to have an amazing time at school and with your friends. I have no doubt that your little mind is going to expand and grow and learn all sorts of wonderful things. You are ready to forge ahead and I will do exactly what I'm supposed to do. I will cheer and celebrate and support and love you. I will do everything I can to be the mom that you so deserve in this next chapter of your life. You are ready.

I love you so much that words and letters and clichés will never be enough to tell you just how much love I have for you. You are your own amazing person who is true to yourself on every level. I hope that your one-of-a-kind spirit continues as you grow. I hope that when you go out there into the world that you know that you are loved and always have a safe place to c

ome home to.

I love you more than a hotel (as you told me today),
Mom

 

Conversations with Julianna

The other day Drew and I were discussing how we are family and all the same because we were all family. Julianna was listening and piped up, "Except for the penises!"

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Yesterday after studying a picture of her Bobba, Julianna asked me, "If Bobba was bald, why didn't he wear a wig?"

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Tonight at bedtime I was asking Julianna her favorite part of the day. This is how the conversation went:
Me: What was your favorite part?
Julianna: EVERYTHING!
Me: Everything? What are you grateful for?
Julianna: EVERYTHING!! Except for poor people. They don't have food and have to get their food at the food bank.

I guess it's time for a lesson about what being 'grateful' means.

Different rules

Julianna: Can I have Cocoa Puffs for breakfast?

Me: No, that is a snack cereal and everybody had a bowl yesterday so there isn't any left.

Julianna: Buuut, I've had Cocoa Puffs for breakfast before!

Me: When?

Julianna: At the lake!

Me: Well, that was a special treat.

Julianna: Grandma gave them to us. OHHHHHH, I seeeeee, Grandma has different rules!

Julianna's Fifth Birthday Letter

My dear, sweet Julianna,

Happy birthday, darling girl. It's going to be hard to write you a birthday letter without filling it with clichés. You are just such a fun, hilarious, joyous kid that I don't know where to begin.

This year you are still figuring out who you are - apart from your siblings and their opinions. You love to play house and babies but are determined to fit into the mold of tomboy. The more Lily makes a big deal about how you should be wearing tutus and sparkles, the more you wear flannel and cowboy boots. But when you forget that you're trying to stay a tomboy, sparkles you love. My darling daughter, you are going to be awesome whichever way you go.

You and I have had lots of time to spend together, this our last year with you not in regular school. You are so easy to be with everyday. Sometimes we play hide and seek or Chutes and Ladders, and sometimes you like me to leave you to your 'work'. This is when you sit at the kitchen table with tablet and pens and spend hours writing and drawing and talking to yourself. This activity has always been your favorite thing to do. You are so easygoing and happy about what you have your were nearly impossible to Christmas shop for this year. This is a good way to be. I am wondering to myself as I write this, if it is this activity that lead to you teaching yourself to read. Yes, it's true. You've taught yourself to read. It is such fun to listen to you read and figure stuff out.

It is a breeze being your mom and usually the only trouble you give me is when you are stubborn about going to bed or buckling your own seatbelt. Seriously. Those two issues are the most difficult behaviors we see from you. We are keenly aware of how lucky this makes us as your parents. Parenting isn't considered an easy job, but you really do make it seem like a cinch. You are funny and thoughtful and loving and kind. You are friendly and polite and will often concede a near argument with your siblings or parents just to make our day easier. You are a joy and everyone who knows you is lucky to have you around.

So clearly it is impossible to write you a letter about your life without getting sappy and sounding like a cliché. You are everything I say you are and so much more. I have no doubt as you grow and change you will continue to spread joy wherever you go. I love watching your life unfold. I'm thankful for my front row seat. I love you.

Love,
Mama

Julianna's interview about Tom

Meet My Julianna's Dad

What is Dad's name?
Tom


What does Dad do for fun?
I help him make pancakes


What does Dad do at work?
He works on the road with his friends


What is Dad's favorite thing to eat?
Everything!


What does Dad like to drink?
Milk....I mean beer! He always drinks beer every night.


How old is Dad?
He's the same old as Mommy


Where did you and Dad meet?
Still at the lake


What does Dad look like?
He looks just like his face


How much does Dad weigh?
A lot!


What makes Dad the best?
Playing hide and seek


What is your favorite thing to do with Dad?
Playing


How long have you known Dad?
For a really, really long time

Julianna's interview about Mommy

Meet My Julianna's Mom

What is Mom's name?
Taylor

What does Mom do for fun?



She plays hide and seek with me.

What does Mom do at work?
She doesn't have any works

What is Mom's favorite thing to eat?
Carrots


What does Mom like to drink?
I don't know. She likes everything.

How old is Mom?
I don't know.

Where did you and Mom meet?
At the lake

What is Mom really good at?
Macaroni and cheese and I help her


What does Mom look like?
Like me!


What makes Mom the best?
When I help her.

What is your favorite thing to do with Mom?
Play hide and seek

How long have you known Mom?
For a really long time!

the cutest one

Julianna does not lack confidence.

Last Wednesday, after her class at Dillon Nature Center, she told me this: "I was the cutest one at Dillon Nature Center today." I asked if someone had told her that and she said, "No, I just knowed."

Then tonight when I was helping her into her jammies, she said, "For goodness sake, I looked cute today!"

She never fails to make me laugh.

with a twist

Every mom that works hard to make her house presentable for guests, but leaves it pretty messy most of the rest of the time, has had a similar conversation to the one that follows. Except in this conversation Julianna adds her own twist.

Julianna: Who is coming over today?

Me: No one.

Julianna: Then why are you cleaning?

Me: Because I like to have a clean house.

Julianna: Well, I like to have a dirty mouse.

Me: A dirty mouse?!

Julianna: (laughs) I mean a dirty house!

 

Snow Day 2013

Dear children,

 Today is your first snow day in recent memory. The last snow day we had was in April of 2009. So far we have about 12-14 inches of snow on the ground and there is more to come. I thought you guys might get a kick out of reading about this day later. A snow day is one of the ultimate nostalgic days of you childhood.

This morning Drew woke me up and six o'clock a.m. He was quiet for awhile, but started talking at about 6:30 and didn't stop until seven. He spent that thirty minutes filling me in on the Civil War, George Washington, Abe Lincoln, the Revolutionary War, Mount Vernon, and the Statue of Liberty. He kept confusing Lincoln for Washington...but otherwise, he was right on. He told me why Abe had a beard and that it is said that Washington is the "Dad of the United States". No one can say that Drew isn't learning plenty in kindergarten, huh?

I forced you guys to wait until later in the morning before you could go outside in the snow. I said it was because I wanted it to warm up a bit, but really I was stalling so that you wouldn't be done with snow by 8:30 in the morning. Drew and Julianna went out to play in the white stuff a little before 10 and had a great time with the toy dump truck and bulldozer pushing the snow around. You guys stayed out there for almost an hour, I think.

Lily. Oh, Lily; Miss Sensory Sensitive, proclaimed she wasn't going in the snow. But eventually she couldn't resist it and went out in all of her snow gear. She was already annoyed enough with all the snow gear before she stepped outside....so it's not surprising that she only lasted 15 minutes out in the snow. It's okay, Lily. I wouldn't have lasted that long. I hate to be cold and wet. Yuck.

 Once everyone was inside, you guys enjoyed a bit of hot cocoa with a squirt of whip cream on top. It was a huge hit, let me tell you. Lily was also late to join that party, so I didn't get her picture.

I am shocked to report that the TV was not used as a device for distraction until I suggested a movie after lunch. You guys have kept yourselves busy with other things, and actually have been getting along quite well.

Yesterday I was maybe dreading this day just a bit...it was only because you guys came home from school and bounced from ceiling to floor for 3 straight hours. And because I caught Drew drinking honey from the honey bear. And everyone was screaming and fighting with each other. However, you guys have pleasantly surprised me. We've had a good day so far. I think the next thing on the agenda is for us to bake a cake.

Much love on this snow day,
Mom

Memories from today

This is just a post so that I can remember the little things that were happening to us in life.

Drew was making phone calls with his play phone. He spoke with a man name Harold and another man named Larry. He was giving orders and told Larry to swab the decks. We do not know anyone by these names, and they are so out of the ordinary for a kindergartener to know, that it struck me as funny.

Julianna has been showing signs of being able to read for awhile now. She has obsessively been writing her letters whenever she has a pen and paper. Last week she wrote her first word independently. And I don't mean just writing letters I tell her to make a word. She actually sounded out a word herself and wrote it down without my help. The word was 'pan'. Since that day I have noticed that she can remember the short vowel sounds for a, e, i, and o. Yesterday I wrote about three dozen short vowel words on a piece of paper and she sounded out and read every single one of them. This seems totally crazy to me...but I'm looking forward to seeing what she figures out next.

My children are all about running lately. I went for a run first thing in the morning yesterday and when I got home they wanted to run too. They like my treadmill more than I do and Lily ended up running 1.4 miles on it yesterday. There is a running club for kids 8 and older and I'm thinking it'd be a good club for Lily to join. She needs practice making friends and the running could be a natural help for her ADHD. The other two children ran too, but not nearly as much. I'm ready for the long, warm summer days where all they do is run and play.

Tom finished up a big part of a painting project on Sunday. He has all the walls and the trim in the living room painted. The next step is to finish the second coat on the ceiling. He is currently building himself some stilts so that he can move more easily while painting so high up. I'm looking forward to getting my furniture back in the room to see how it looks. I'm being patient though -- and grateful to Tom for all his hard work. Tom is a very careful painter and I think it looks great. We have lived here almost two years and I'm so excited that we have started some of the projects that will make this house look the way we want our home to look. It's not going to be an overnight thing, but when we're done, it's going to look great. :)

a handsome, slim, middle finger post

Today Julianna had an appointment with Dr. Handsome....Hansen, really-- but apparently she likes Handsome better.

Tonight at dinner Lily asked for some "slim" milk. She meant skim.

Tonight I was trimming Lily's fingernails. I was trimming her middle finger and she said, "Are you pointing my middle finger up?" I answer no. She said, "Good, because that's the middle finger and you're not supposed to point that one up alone." I didn't really answer her because what should I say? So she went on. "It means bad luck. It means you're wishing someone bad luck." I still didn't answer-- so she went on. "Haven't you ever heard someone was going to 'middle finger' you?" Well, this is the point where I can answer honestly. No, no one has ever said they were going to middle finger me. Thank god for that. Tom entered the conversation at this point. He asked her if she wanted to have an honest conversation about this. Yes, she did. He told her it means something very mean, to never do it and to never teach her brother or sister about it. That's when Drew walked in. Thankfully, the conversation was over...despite Drew's best efforts to revive it.

These are just a few things I don't want to forget.

On the 100th Day of School

Today on the 100th day of school, my children had the perfect morning. They got dressed, ate breakfast, and had hair and teeth brushed with no problem. It was a lovely morning. I thought that since the 100th day is a day to celebrate, I would give a report on how things are going at school.

Lily hasn't missed a day of school. She has worked hard this year to make good choices at school. She recently went through a medication change and tried her darnedest to do well at school without it. She gave a valiant effort, but in the end we saw that she was truly benefitting from the medications. She did get a new one and it's working.

I heard from Lily's teacher a few days ago that Lily is doing very well at school. Lily's teacher is proud of Lily's improvement when it comes to working in groups. She told me that she usually puts Lily in pairs to work so that she doesn't become overwhelmed. However, last week Lily worked seamlessly in a group of FIVE students. She was a member of the team, she allowed others to contribute, and at one point they were all drawing on the paper at once. I am so proud of her!

Drew has also not missed a day of school. He loves it so much and loves having so many friends to play with everyday. He has recently started reading books independently, and asking for more at his level. This is a huge deal because early in the year I could  barely get him to read the required 3 page books sent from school. At first I thought maybe he was having trouble because of an inherited learning disability; but I think he was actually having trouble because of an inherited eye problem. He has been doing eye therapy for two months and the change is amazing. Obviously, because he loves to read by himself now. :)

Yesterday, on day 99, Drew lost his first tooth. He was so proud that he had pulled out himself at rest time. He said all the kids wanted to come and see the tooth after he'd pulled it out. I don't know what the chances are, but so far two of my children have lost their first tooth in Mrs. Law's kindergarten class instead of at home. He was excited to put the tooth under his pillow and wake up to some shiny quarters.

Julianna has not gone to school 100 days, but she is doing wonderfully and loves school. She is keeping me laughing and testing her limits just a bit. I love being home with her these last two years before big kid school. It's such a blessing.

Laughs, thanks to Julianna

Julianna never fails to make me laugh. Here are two things that she's said in the last 24 hours to make me smile.

I told her to get her coat on so we could leave the house. She looked on the inside and saw that her name had been written on the inside. She looks at me and says with a shocked look, "Mom! JC Penny's put my name in my coat! How did they do that?!" I then explained to her that I had put her name in her coat in case she lost it.

Tom got home from three days out of town last night after the kids went to bed. This morning Julianna and I had this conversation:
Me: Julianna, Lily's getting in the bath first. Put your jammies back on until it's your turn so you don't get cold....

Julianna crawls back into bed.

Me: Julianna! You are such your daddy's girl! You can't go back to bed!

Julianna giggles.

Me: Did you see that Daddy was home?

Julianna: Yes!

Me: How did you know?

Julianna: Because! There was a BIG BOY in your bed!!

Basketball, what?

 It's been said that Julianna is about as attentive as her mother. In other words, she is about as attentive as a gnat. At least this is true when it comes to things that don't interest her.

If I was forced to guess, I would guess that Julianna isn't that into basketball.

She had her last game this Saturday morning at the Sports Arena. She was not into it one bit. She was pretty happy when it was her turn to sit on the bench.

When we got home and I saw these pictures I'd taken it made me laugh. She is so clearly not paying attention that it is comical.

 

After the game on Saturday I was asking her what she liked better swimming or [fill in the blank here]. Her answer was always swimming. Every. Time. I think she and I are going to need to get some pool time in soon. This girl obviously has chlorine in her veins and not basketball fever.

Outtakes of the Family Photo Shoot

 



These are the outtakes from our recent family picture session. We didn't hire a fancy photographer because it was last minute, for fun, and we wanted to try out my sister, Aunt Flash's, new camera. We took the pictures at the shop of Johnson Sheet Metal, my dad's family business since 1921. It was lots of fun and we got some great shots. Julianna (I know she wants to be called Jae, but I'm going to secretly call her Julianna for as long as I can...but that's another post.) Anyway, Julianna gave us the best outtake faces. She is one expressive child!



 

 

 

This is what we did when we were told to be goofy.

My sister accidentally turned on her automatic picture feature and it took 10 or so pictures right in a row. Julianna and I decided to be goofy for all the pictures.

There could be a whole book of Julianna faces. She is possibly the most expressive person ever.

Aren't we so funny?

Someone said something hilarious.

This is Tom's favorite picture of me from the day. Don't I look cool?

I don't know where Lily learned this goofy face.

I love this picture.

I guess this is where Lily learned that goofy pose from earlier.

Oh, Julianna!

I hope we take more time to take these family pictures. They are priceless. They will look great in the next edition of my blog book. My goal is to turn each year of the blog into an actual book. I love the idea of having a collection of my writings in an actual book for my children to hold onto and read in the years to come. Actually, they aren't really allowed to read the blog yet. I'm not always sharing things on the blog that they are ready to read about. They will have to wait a few years before they can see what Mom really thought about this stuff. :)