grateful.

4.24.06

And now.

9.5.08

And now.

3.18.11

And now.

I had no idea how much I wanted to be your Mom.  How even on the hardest day, I would choose all of you again and again and again.  I awoke to a strawberry face, scrambled egg hair and bacon eye brows.  Later, I napped.  In a perfect Mother's Day tradition, Nate did loads of projects that I have been wanting done.  The living room is almost completely painted.  My cup overflows.

seven!

Dear Claire,

Last week, you had a birthday.  Sometimes I miss the days when I would craft you a sweet letter each month to mark your progress, but pesky tasks like feeding everyone dinner and showering prevent me to dote on you with the fervor of a first time mom.  Know that I love you girlie, even if your sweet birthday letter is a bit on the late side.

You choose a Wreck it Ralph/Art/Princess birthday party.  Because I am your mom, I may have baked cupcakes at 3 AM after the cake collapsed the night before.  Dad was certain we could salvage the cake with frosting, but I was unconvinced.

Also in April, you donated 10 inches of hair to Locks of Love.  After the haircut, you looked nervous and I asked if you wanted to cry.  You said, "maybe."  Then we sat quietly together in the mall.  A minute later, you were jumping up, happy to choose a couple of special headbands to mark the day.

Rapunzel:

And before you got used to the new cut:

\\

April was a whirlwind.  You out-read the entire first grade for the read-a-thon and won a gift card to the local bookstore, you sang in your spring concert and last weekend you visited San Francisco with dad for a family wedding.  You danced the night away with your grandma and cousins.  Word on the street is you got room service waffles and quite a lot of In and Out Burger.  Not bad for seven.

I love you Clairegirl. 

Love,

Mom