Enchanted Princess Ball

 

Got my girl tickets for this year's Enchanted Princess Ball.

 

It was as wonderful as last year's event.

 

Elsa & Anna made their ball debut, much to every little girl's screaming delight.

 

If only there was wine for the moms.

Maybe next year.

(I hope that's what she wished for.)

 ♥ ♥ ♥

My Girl

 

My little girl.

 

My sweet, sensitive, hilarious, little girl.

 

The girl who sobs during bedtime stories when the baby kitten gets lost from her mother. The girl who squeezes next to me on a tiny chair as opposed to sitting anywhere else in the living room. The girl who skips from place to place, never walks. The girl who can't help from sing along to every song on the radio. The girl who writes the sweetest love notes.

 

She's been having a rough adjustment to kindergarten.  We've had tears every morning for the past week. Hers, to be clear. (I hold mine inside until she's on the bus.)

 

I think I did her a disservice during her last year of pre-k. I took her in when she woke up, usually around 9:30, so getting used to our new schedule of up at 7am and rushing around until the bus arrives at 8 has been tough. I think she's overtired. I think the novelty of kindergarten has worn off. I think she very much misses her daycare friends who she's known her entire life. I think she's unsure how to make new friends. I think she misses me.

 

I've taken her to school a couple mornings, per her request, and had lunch with her one afternoon, neither ended well. She cried harder when I had to leave than she does getting on the bus. A friend suggested I tell her I can continue having lunch with her as long as she doesn't cry when it's time for me to leave; but if she cries again, then no more lunch dates. She seemed receptive to that.

 

Another friend suggested I give her something of mine to take to school so when she's sad she can connect it to home and hopefully feel better. She picked my mother's day necklace adorned with engraved charms bearing her and Narls' names.  It's been two days and it's helping. We've had no tears and big smiles.

 

I'm hopeful she just needs a bit of time to adjust until that smile is back for good.

First Day of School!

Don't mind me; I'm just over here trying to stop time.

 

 

Last year.

 

 



A League of Her Own

 

Another baseball season ended for Em and her TownSquare Media teammates. This division went a bit longer than others because they had so many rained out games to make up.

 

It was a pleasure watching this beautiful girl play.

 

She's so healthy and strong and confident...

 

and silly!

 

She played hard this season, despite having to miss almost all of the Wednesday night practices because of her ballet class, a class that started nine months prior.

 

Ballet versus baseball- that's a big debate in our home.

 

We're working on it though. Striving to find a balance. Giving her the opportunity to do both. Working hard to teach her that throwing like a girl is an amazing thing, that dance is more about athleticism than tutus and recital makeup.

 

Raising a little girl is hard.

 

Raising her so that she retains her health and strength and confidence throughout her youth and puberty and into adulthood is even harder.

 

♥ ♥ ♥

Ballerina Girl

 

We are so, so, so proud of this little girl. She danced her tiny toes off.

2014 Preschool Recital

 

My baby girl graduated from her pre-k class last night.

And she performed in her last performing arts recital.

 

 

 

I held it together pretty well, considering my heart was swelling with happiness and sadness and pride.

 


  Where has the time gone?
2011 recital here. 2012 recital here. 2013 recital here.

Pretty Pretty Princess

 

My salon recently did this amazing princess package for little girls, complete with a pedicure, manicure, hair style, and makeup application (body shimmer and lip gloss). Although I'm not quite sure Emerson needs anymore indication that she may, in fact, be a real live princess born into a common family, but I knew she'd love it so I made the appointment.

She received a wand and tiara and was also waited on by beautiful princesses who served her tea and sweets.  The whole appointment was so very lovely and Em left feeling wonderful.



 

It was nice to treat my girl to a day of pampering.

♥ ♥ ♥

 

Kindergarten Already?

I swear to god we were just here registering Narls for kindergarten.

 

 

How has it been two years so fast? In the blink of an eye?

 

And this little girl is ready. She cannot wait to start kindergarten and to ride the school bus and take a lunch every day and have Miss Westman like Narls did.

 

We were lucky that Miss Westman gave Emerson her kindergarten test. She said Em knows all her colors, and can identify shapes and numbers, and was able to spell her name and put things in order.

 

That's our girl ♥

Like I said, she's ready.

 

 

Now if only momma was just as ready.

Happy 5th Birthday, Princess

 

Emerson Grace is five years old.

Even typing that sentence blows my mind.

She is the perfect mix of sweet and sassy and of girly girl and tomboy.

She makes us laugh daily and she truly is the apple of my and her daddy's eyes.

 

To celebrate her birthday, we threw her a princess party here at home.

We decorated in the colors of teal & purple and asked her guests to wear princess dresses.

 

The tiny princesses got crowns, wands, bead necklaces, and hairbows for their goodie bags.

 

Dinner was first, and it was a simple pizza party with fruit wands & carrots and dip; grape Gatorade to drink.

 

Then, surprise!, an unexpected guest arrived....

 

Elsa!

None of the girls knew she was coming so they were quite surprised.

And they had about a bazillion questions for her including

do you know the trolls?

why did you freeze Anna? IN HER HEART?

can we see your shoes?

did you know Hans was a bad guy?

where is Olaf?

can we touch you? please don't freeze us!

are you the real Elsa?

how do you know Emerson's mom?

can you come to my birthday???

  

 

They played games, sang & danced, painted faces, made wishes, blew bubbles.

 

Elsa even stayed for cake!

 

Em got lovely gifts,

 

and I think even the boys had fun.

 

It was truly magical.