What makes me smile...

Today what makes me smile is thinking of Tate and the person she is becoming. She turned nine on the 7th and had her birthday party last Saturday with five good friends and her sister. It was a movie party highlighted by a trip to the theater to see Ramona and Beezus based on the Beverly Cleary books. Cute movie! Tate said the two hours felt like fifteen minutes. While the girls teared up when Ramona's beloved cat died, I teared up watching the relationship between Ramona and her Dad. Sweet! I am so thankful Scott is not only a "provider Dad" but a Dad who loves to be with his kids and adores the people they are. There is very little he will not do for them...one thing being as of late dancing to the new Wii game Tate got for her birthday. She doesn't realize it but his not dancing is a good thing even though I would love a good chuckle. She requested a shell birthday cake this year. It is always interesting to see what cake she will want. I've done jewelry boxes, castles, and now a shell. I actually bought the pan for this one because I had no idea how to create the ridges of a shell. It ridges ended up being covered up by the icing so I just outlined the details in chocolate icing. After the movie, the girls decorated small pocketbooks Tate had picked out at AC Moore with puffy paint, buttons, and tye dye ribbon. I think fun was had by all.

Her actual birthday was spent going to the first soccer practices of the season. It was blazing hot outside, but Dane held up well being shuttled around. Scott and I gave her the skateboard she asked for and Paige gave her the Bop It game she fell in love with at Sophie's party. She picked Red Robin for dinner. This was our first time going out with Dane. He slept through the whole thing but woke up at the end. I gave him a bottle before leaving and he proceeded to projectile spit up on the booth. My shorts got soaked too. The girls said it was because his bottle was cold. Tate is the official bottle warmer of the house, so maybe she is right. After dinner, Scott took Dane home and the girls and I went to Justice for Tate to spend some birthday money. After shopping, we stopped for ice cream and made it home in time for Tate to show Scott her skateboard. It was a great family day!

In the last few weeks Tate has changed before my eyes. She has recently developed her own style. Just a few months ago I could pick out her clothes because she just didn't care much what she wore. Now she enjoys picking it out and asks me if things match or if they look good. It's fun to see her come into her own. Scott brought home a coupon to Justice (a tween clothing store) and I promised her that we could go and pick out an outfit for her party. We had so much fun. She picked out three outfits and we went into the dressing room (first time for us...I always pick out her clothes and bring them home). She tried each one on, twirled, stuck her hip out, pulled her chin down and posed. I loved it! She got a pink and black plaid dress with tiered ruffles on the bottom. She also got some 80s fingerless gloves. What a sight. She has since gone shopping with her Nana and asked for money to go back to Justice...a fashionista has emerged.

My final Tate story to commerate her birthday happened the morning the girls came to meet Dane for the first time. Before they arrived someone (can't remember who) asked me who was going to hold Dane first. My stomach sank. I had planned for so much before Dane came in order for the girls to feel included but I had not thought of this. My mind sprang into action but I could think of no way to solve the problem. I gave up and decided that I would just put the baby between them on both their laps. The girls arrived and it was time for the big hold. I think my Mom or Dad said, "Who is going to hold him first?" I was about to dive into my explanation when Tate said, "Paige, you can hold him. I got to hold you first." That comment brought me to tears...so simple but loaded with memories and kindness. That is how I think most of Tate. I learned to be a mom with Tate. I got to experience all the "firsts" with Tate. We will always have that special something. And even this weekend, she went to spend the weekend with Granny B. She was so excited, but she always gets weepy when it is time to leave me or her house. She loves home. Even though I want her to experience so many new things that will take her away from the safety of  home, my heart swells when that unconditional love comes to the surface. She'll always be my Taterbug!