Mia's Favorites!

I was reading some older blog posts and saw that I've done the Favorite interview for the kids in the past and it's been a while.  So here are some of Mia's Favorites at 8 years old!

Things: 1. MP3 player 2. Pillow Pet blanket
Color: 1. Red 2. Purple 3. Blue 4. Pink
Band: Skillet
Song: Welcome to the Show by Brit Nicole
Food: Spaghetti
Tv show: Jacob Two Two, Rescue Heros, & Wipe Out
Animal: zebras & elephants
Thing at school: Monster Math
Recess activity: Tether ball & hand ball
Super Family Fun Day: 6 Flags, Disneyland, & bike rides
Book: Magic Tree House & the Cul-De-Sac Kids
Game: Chutes & Ladders & Hide-n-seek
Place: Disneyland!

Update on Me

It has now been 5 1/2 months since the car accident.  I have been out of work since November.  It's just crazy to think back to then.  I can put myself right in the moment of the accident and remember clearly my first thoughts.  Never did it enter my mind that it would keep me from working, and keep me feeling pain on and off for this long.  I have had some really good days, many more as the time has gone by, but there are still days that I feel like it just happened yesterday.  It is going to take time to heal, as I've said before.

I did however, meet with a spine specialist a couple weeks back and she was wonderful!  She took my MRI and x-ray images and explained them to me in detail.  Novel, right?!  She really affirmed many things God has placed on my heart through all this.  Who knew.

I will not be returning to Kindergarten this school year.  My back and neck simply cannot handle the physical stress of it yet.  A typical whiplash injury can take between 6-9 months to fully heal.  Since my injury is a bit more severe than whiplash, but my healing is going well, I am well within the range for full healing to eventually happen.  Thank GOD.

As for now, I am trying to do more and more things.  Slowly....very slowly.  I've been instructed to be very aware of the difference between pain and discomfort.  Pain is bad.  Discomfort is part of the healing process.  I am now very good at distinguishing what causes which one and what I can and cannot do.  I was advised to ride bikes with the kids little bits at a time, as long as there is no pain.  Definitely not to do it every day, but little bits here and there will help me on the healing road.  So glad I have my wonderful Cruiser allowing me to sit up straight while I ride! ;)

We went to Six Flags last week and it was fun!  As always.  We love our season passes, and I love them even more now.  We do parts of the park and don't have to feel like we have to cram it all in in one day.  We can always go back another day!  I love that!  It is not nearly as fun to sit and watch the kids on the rides that I so want to go on, but one day I will be on them again.  Hopefully one day soon!

Miss Mia turned 8

It is unfathomable that Mia is 8 years old today.  She is so big, yet so little.  She was our biggest baby at 9lbs 4oz. and induced 4 days early.  My first thought at seeing her was, "Wow, she has PERFECT skin!"  It was so soft and so kissable!  Here she is at 2 days old.

The new family of 4!

When she was 5 weeks old, we traveled to Yosemite for my brother's wedding...

 And at 6 months for Juliet's 3rd birthday party.

Then, her body decided to grow and with this physical growth came the crazy, silly personality that we love so incredibly much!

One of my most fav pics of her at one of our first trips to Lake Tahoe.

We used to call Mia "Swipper" because she would grab things in her reach so rapidly and take off with them in the blink of an eye.  She always knew what she shouldn't have, and she'd take it and run.  But then when we'd go after her, she'd ditch whatever it was and keep running!  Shortly there after, her nickname changed to "Hurricane Mia" because she could go into a spotless room and have it destroyed in moments!

Then the shyness set in.  Her destructive curiosity turned into a sweetness that only God can give.  It's like she can see people's hearts and she is wise in how to respond to others.  It is truly an amazing thing to see characteristics developed by God.  Mia has an extreme sense of care for others.  She loves to help silently.  That's the sweetness.

Now, she's 8.  I look at all the pics of her through the years, and I cry as I feel like I don't remember enough of her when she was little.  I look at pictures of her now and I don't know where my little girl has gone.  But she's not big.  She will always be my little girl, I think...even when she's 18.

In our family, on the morning of your birthday, you are waken up by serenade with a birthday treat, candle, and a present (or 2).  I always hated as a kid not being able to have cake and presents until dinner time.  It never felt like I got a WHOLE day for my birthday.  So we have this tradition, and I LOVE it!

The night before her party, she wanted to sleep with curlers!

Which resulted in beautiful curls!

We had a great day at her party...that she planned, btw.  

We were lucky enough to have Gram & Gramps here!

And now she's 8. Bittersweet.

A new toy!

Mia is a Pro at tether ball!  She plays nearly every day at school, always coming home to reveal who she's beaten or who is really "hard".  Just this morning she told me she finally beat a really hard second grade boy!

Mike and I decided it would be a great idea to make a tether ball for her to practice and just another great toy for the kids.  They can't be that hard!  My parents were coming down for a visit, so Grandpa got in on the assembly!

 

 

 SUCCESS!

Butterflies

Each year, in the Springtime, my parents purchase caterpillars from www.butterflynursery.com .  The kids love watching them form their chrysalises and emerge as butterflies.  One year, somehow the chrysalises got damaged (could have been our faults...I'm pretty sure Cal was a toddler that year and he could very well have bumped them causing bruising)  As a result, when the butterflies emerged, some had damaged wings.  It was really sad, BUT it caused them to stick around in the yard for a few days.  Mia was so excited to wake up in the morning and find her butterflies still there.  And again when she got home from school.  That part was really neat! 

These are pics from a few years ago.  (2009)

See how the wings are bent....yea not supposed to be that way!  But Mia loved it! (2008)

This year, we had 8 caterpillars.  6 have just formed their chrysalises, 2 more to go.  We're watching them daily.  It shouldn't be too long now until we have new butterflies!

This is the most recently formed chrysalis.  It's light in color and not totally formed yet.

These 5 here have been in their chrysalis for a couple days now.  They are starting to get shiny spots and will darken with time.  Once they are very dark and look shriveled, it will be about time to emerge!

Words from the wise

Little phrases you may hear Calvin saying now and again...(ones that I remember anyway).

• Mom, I would rather not walk on the grass with my slippers on.
• Jesus walked on the water.  If we try to do that, we'll fall right to the bottom of the lake!  Jesus ROCKS Mom!
• Mom, apparently I clicked the wrong button. (requesting my help on the computer)
• Actually, I'd prefer the blue fruitbar, Dad.
• Mia, what's 2+2...4.  2+3...5.  2+4....6. 2+5...7. 2+6...8.  And so on with no pause for anyone to give him the answer.  He answers addition problems on his own all the time!
• I can count to 200!  1, 2, 3, 4, 5................178........245....until we tell him ENOUGH!
• God is invisible Mom.  He's right here, but we can't see Him.  He's invisible.  That's cool Mom.
• God made us.  Then He put us in your tummy!  That's funny how God did that, Mom.
• (at a bedtime prayer) God, I pray that Juliet listens to Mommy's words and my words and that she respects our words.  And I pray that we listen to everyone's word.

He always amazes us with his crazy wisdom.  Often times it just boggles my mind how much he comprehends and how easily he uses new words in correct context.  He's been this way since age two, but he still amazes us nearly every day with something new.

THREE school aged children?

When did this happen?  Our youngest will be in Kindergarten in August.  It's a first for us.  A first that I'm not accepting very well.  In fact, I'm going to remain in denial for a little bit and pout.

Family Feud

We laughed a bit at this one....had to share!

Springtime!

I know it's Spring when:

1. Our bikes come off the garage hooks and the tires get pumped up.
2. The trampoline gets used nearly every day!
3. The wind chimes in the backyard make a beautiful song.
4. Stuffy noses, sneezing and watery eyes are much more frequent.
5. The ceiling fans get dusted off.
6. The girls start to complain that they don't have any shorts that fit.
7. Early bedtimes and a good breakfast for STAR testing!
8. FLIP FLOPS!
9. Eating dinner on the patio becomes a norm
10. Open ALL the doors and windows!

I love this time of year!