Mommy Monday

So, the blogging trend is to have some recurring topic at least once a week  . . . Big Mama has Fashion Friday (I think given my love for athletic shorts and t'shirts, I should NOT be giving fashion advice, UNLESS you are looking for cheap athletic wear, in which case, I'm your gal), several people do Wordless Wednesday (let's be honest, me . . . wordless . . . not likely), and Kelly's Korner has SUYL (show us your life) on Fridays. All that to say, I think I will introduce . . .

                                        DRUM ROLL AND GREAT ANTICIPATION

Mommy Mondays . . . I plan to focus my posts on Mondays on some aspect of motherhood . . . lessons learned, questions for you guys to help me with, etc.

Today, however, I will focus my Mommy Monday on the last baby who will ever call me Mommy because it was her birthday on Saturday. (**SNIFF**)

We have a family tradition . . . on your birthday, you wake up to your presents from us wrapped and ready to go on the kitchen table and then everyone loads up for donuts. Sascha's day was no exception, and as she was the LAST one up, there was a greeting party waiting for her when she shyly made her way into the kitchen.

Sweet Bo almost tackled her yelling, "Happy Birfday Shasha!!"

So happy in her Robin costume

We went for donuts and picked up her cake and a couple of "party" things on the way home. She wasn't having a party, per say, some family and some cake, but we went ahead and did party hats and blowers because it was a party to her. When we pulled into Party City, she wanted to know where her birthday badaloon was. 

How did she even know about those?!

But, as Vince Vaughn said in The Break Up, "What baby wants, baby gets!"

The Durah Budaloon was bigger than Sascha (and popped in less than an hour)

We grilled some burgers and dogs, ate some cake (which is always from Mickeys for the family party and the best cake you will EVER have) and enjoyed a beautiful fall day watching Sissy not ride her new bike. She thinks she may be "too yittle" . . . she keeps trying and one day she will get it!!

The day was sweet and fun and ended with her dinner choice of cheese wrappers and a Scooby-Dooby Doo movie (Josh was truly thrilled!) It was a bittersweet, nostalgic day too. She's the end of an era . . . for 9 1/2 years, we've always had someone 2 or under in the house, changed diapers, used strollers, etc. Sascha is growing up and edging us into a new phase of life that I love more than I thought I would, but there are moments of the "young years" that I will miss too. Looking back over pics from the her actual BIRTH day and the sappy song Party City was playing didn't help :)

 That look on my face is ecstasy! It's me thinking take the pic and LET'S GO so I can quit feeling nauseous for the first time since JANUARY! Oh, and so I can meet the baby!

 And that look is enamored, undescribable love and bliss

The dynamic duo then

and now

 One of my all time fav pics of Tru and his baby sister

And that handsome boy in glasses with her now

Grateful that she had a brief time with her soul mate . . . they are 2 peas in a stubborn and hilarious pod. I'm so thankful for the ways they are alike because Granny truly lives on in Sassy

My baby girl then

And that sweet angel now

Sweet Sascha . . . you have brought a level of spunk and fun to this house that we could not have imagined! You are fun and daring and sweet and unafraid (well, of everything except autoflush toilets). Half the time I want to freeze you or squeeze you back into diapers and baby clothes and the other half I cannot wait to see who you become because, oh my, she is going to be something else! I think the presents you asked for sum you up well--Rapunzel, My Little Ponies and Robin. You are somehow all girl, all super hero, all rolled into one. I love your sweet prayers, your cuddles, and the fact that you are a Mommy's girl! I hope you never lose your zeal for life or your fun little accent. You are adored by all of us, and thank goodness you are cute to help you out when we may not adore what you've done! Happy 3rd birthday, sweet Sassy!! I love you so, so, so, so, so, so (to infinity and beyond) much!!!