Good stuff....

Sam LOVES to take pics. She's always begging me to let her use my camera. I give in every once in a while, and the results are always priceless. It's always interesting to see things from their prospective. And now I know what I'm getting her for her birthday this year.



Self portrait? Or Sydney's shot? You be the judge.
g






Time for your closeup.


Hmmm.... no comment.




OK - quick, everyone pretend you're asleep.


Neiiiiiigh.


Love how she got the the midnight blue toes in there.




This one is perfect! Such talent.

So we partied like a rock star.... seriously.

I don't know how those rock stars do it! Or seven year olds, for that matter. Whew. I've had a day to recover, and I'm still a mess (along with my house). Now, my 4 year old, she couldn't hang. Too much sun, not enough water, and no nap = one bad night. Poor thing. But I do believe she had a rockin' good time. And she was up and running this morning.

So for Sydney's 7th birthday party - she chose a pop star theme. We decorated the bathroom up like a stage - curtains, lights, and who else - but Hannah Montana. Sydney had pink hair, glitter, and sequins. What more could a pop star ask for? (besides a Jonas brother, but ewww. No thank you. skinny pants should NOT be worn by anyone besides teenage girls)

I didn't realize what a photo op our bathroom/stage would bring. Just call me the paparazzi, baby. I can't decide who had more fun with the stage - the adults or the kids. You be the judge...

Not tomorrow, next day...

As I type this - my 4 year old is pretending to type into her "computer phone" (which is actually an old cell phone that I passed on to her) so she feels included in my computer time. She started swimming lessons this week. 4 days a week of splashing fun. It makes me choke up when I watch her play in the pool - no fear - no clutching the teacher with claws of steel. It's amazing what a difference a year will make. Last year she was terrified of the water. This year it's her favorite thing ever! I have choked up while watching her twice now, as I realize that my baby is growing up. And fast. This is a good thing, right? Sigh. I need to get out her baby book and log all the witty and funny things she says. And the few baby things she still clings too. For instance, instead of saying tomorrow, no matter how many times I tell her, she still calls it "next day". The promise that something is tomorrow is always followed by "that's next day, right?" "We're doing that next day?" And if you correct her that's it's tomorrow, she gets angry and corrects you that it's next day :-) She used to say yogurt funny. I loved when she said it. Yogret. Now she calls it yogurt. I miss yogret.

Every night at bedtime - she askes me to sing her Rock a By Baby. And then she sings to me afterward. It always starts out the same - "You're the best mommy. Don't ever leave me. Together, forever. I love you because you're the best" And then is usually followed by some parenting advice: "don't yell at me anymore", or "you need to play games with me more". And then ends with how I'm the best and she'll always love me. Breaks my heart, fills me with guilt, and brings tears to my eyes all at the same time. She's good. I'll give her that much. How I love my Sammy. Don't grow up so fast, mkay?

Now, Sydney is another subject all together. I am in denial that she is turning 7 in a week. :-( How can this be? Her last day of 1st grade is on Monday. She is starting 2nd grade in less than a month!! She reads at an incredible level and speed. She is doing great at math. And she stumped me with a homework problem that she had to create with her homework. Is it bad that I didn't know what a rhombus was? Yikes. She plans her wardrobe for school the night before. She has a CRUSH on a boy!! And she stomps, pouts, and slams her door like a teenager. Sigh. 7 going on 17. My big girl is growing up. OK, relax....take a deep breath. :sob:

Drink and be merry....

Water, that is. Just don't leave it in your car. Tim sent me this email that made me go hmmm...

..........................................................................................................
Not sure if this is true or not................. but just in case:


> Cancer Update from Johns-Hopkins
>
> Bottled water in your car is very dangerous!
> On the Ellen show, Sheryl Crow said this is what caused her breast
> cancer. It has been identified as the most common cause
> of the high levels of dioxin in breast cancer tissue.
> Sheryl Crow's oncologist told her: women should not drink bottled
> water that has been left in a car.
> The heat reacts with the chemicals in the plastic of the
> bottle which releases dioxin into the water. Dioxin is
> a toxin increasingly found in breast cancer tissue.
> So please be careful and do not drink bottled water that
> has been left in a car. Pass this on to all the women in your life.
> This information is the kind we need to know that just might save
> us! Use a stainless steel canteen or a glass bottle
> instead of plastic!
..........................................................................................................

Of course, Snopes.com says it is a mixture of truth and bull, like most forwarded emails that come our way. But this one made me think. How many times have I left a partially full bottle of water in my car for days on end? Heating and cooling over and over again. That can't be good for anyone, let alone for all the bacteria growing in there. I don't heat plastic bowls in my microwave because of the chemicals, yet I let my girls drink water that has been through roughly the same thing. OOPS. I even have those ridiculously priced but really cool looking Sigg bottles that we forget to grab on the way out the door. Not anymore though. Just thought I'd throw that one out there because I'm sure I'm not the only one who never thought of that. And now I have a good excuse to Tim as to why I'm not drinking that half full bottle of water in my car. He sent it to me after all. HA!