Birthday Party

So Amaryllis and Kensington are at the age where birthdays are a BIG deal.  I knew we had to have some sort of party with decorations and food, mostly for them--the bday girl could care less :)

Amaryllis loves to plan for parties and she makes lists, and thinks of things to do with crepe paper and balloons and string and ribbon.   This time she got creative with a plastic tablecloth from the dollar store.

Then we got 2 laundry baskets and I told her we could bring whatever from the house that could fit in those 2 baskets.  She really wanted to bring all her little play kitchen toy dishes but luckily I talked her out of it.

As per all my parties, everything was store bought or baked by someone else :)

 I wrote on my IG and FB already about how the year has just flown by. Like honestly flown by.

Maybelle has brought me so much joy.  Having a baby without my mom here in the country, and not having very communication with her, really made me worry-- would it be too hard or too scary, and who would help me love them like only grandma can?  Would baby #3 be fun or would it put me over the edge?

But I have found strength in myself, and more importantly I've realized that I'm blessed to be surrounded by marvelous women and mothers.

I learned to lament and confide all my motherly ailments with my friends; they are such examples of strong happy fun moms!!  And to think when we moved here, I thought I wouldn't find any more bosom buddies! 

I discovered I could soak up the precious baby happenings with Amaryllis, who has such a motherly instinct with Maybelle it amazes me.  To be able to look across the room at Amaryllis, and see her watching/playing with the baby with such devotion and love in her eyes, just really gets my heart.

Kensington has reminded me how to rough house and tickle and get back down on the floor and dust off all the baby toddler playtime songs; she watches me and treats Maybelle exactly how I treat Maybelle, and it's a good reminder that I set the tone in the home and these little children model my behavior.  I am the woman they will become someday--- am I acting like it?

My wonderful mother-in-law gives me the pampering and indulgent breaks that I need so I can come back refreshed and ready to tackle it all.  It would be crazy town around here without a refreshed Emily! She is making memories for my kids.  And she always keeps us fed :)

And then texts after emails after calls from besties and sisters from miles away--it really has shown me the power in womanhood and sisterhood and motherhood.

So even though we miss Schramma like crazy around here, this 1 year mark for little Maybelle gives me a few tears, but a whole lotta smiles and memories and a time to reflect on my motherhood journey.