Beach days and birthdays

Yesterday the Kindergartener turned six. I’m not sure how this is even possible. It makes me feel simultaneously old, and sad, and grateful for the gift of getting to raise these girls. Something about my youngest child starting kindergarten, losing her first tooth, and now turning six makes me realize how fleeting the days are. Part of me wants to stop time; but the other part of me clings to the hope that the best is yet to be.

If someone had told me twenty years ago that I would one day be the mother of three girls I would have never believed them. I would have thought things like… three kids? That sounds like a lot. And, three girls? Sounds like a little too much drama to me.

But, you know what? I wouldn’t trade the sleep deprivation, the crow’s feet, the worry, or even the drama for all the world.

Last week over fall break we ventured out on our first weeklong big city trip without grandparents or any other adults to help along the way. Typically we prefer to travel with a one-on-one setup for trips of this sort, so this was a big step. Our primary destination was Charleston where it felt a whole lot more like mid-summer than mid-October. We did some sight-seeing, toured the USS Yorktown, walked through the Market, and took a {steamy!} carriage ride downtown. The girls would tell you a highlight was when one of our horses relieved himself in the middle of the street and the driver had to throw out a marker and call in to report the incident as if a chemical spill had occurred.

Rather than the horse incident, I would tell you that the highlight of the trip was going to the beach every evening and not having to apply sunscreen on everyone. If it wouldn’t have resulted in injury and embarrassment I would have done a cartwheel myself to celebrate.

On Sunday night when I was looking back through pictures of the trip I couldn’t help but notice how much older the girls are looking these days. You know when you see the same people every day you don’t always notice details and subtle changes. But, pictures don’t lie. With just a couple of swipes on my phone I can glance back through the past several years. It feels like yesterday when I tried the Kindergartener’s first swimsuit on her and took her out for her first pool day:

And, surely it was just a few days ago when she woke up from naps looking like this:

Now we’re doing homework, trying to learn sight words, and blowing out six candles on a birthday cake:

I feel like kids teach us a lot about ourselves. The Kindergartener teaches me all the time not to take myself so seriously. She also reminds me to loosen my grip on control because neither she nor the world needs me to micromanage everything.

Her favorite possessions are her brown bear, her scooter, and her pink purse which is loaded with supplies and accessories ranging from markers and tape to a pink superhero cape and mask.

Despite my concern about explosive messes, she loves doing science “spearmints” and other kitchen projects. She believes in magic, mermaids, and the power of pixie dust. While this may become problematic later in life, her favorite foods are: cheese pizza, cheese quesadillas, grilled cheese, and chili {with cheese}.

For her birthday, she requested that a rock star make an appearance. When the older girls informed her that wasn’t going to happen, she was genuinely disappointed because in her mind anything is possible.

She likes make-up and as with most things in life, she wholeheartedly believes more is better. Or, as she says, “Mo is bett-ah.”

We still haven’t figured out why she speaks with what might be described as a British Appalachian accent, but we like it.

Most of all, we like her and the spunk she adds to our family.

Last week reminded me that traveling with kids feels more like a project than a break. Our youngest traveler still has more interest in ice cream and splash pads than battleships and American history. But, this week reminds me I don’t want to wish a second of these days away. Whether beach days, bad days, big days, or birthdays… these are my people. And, I’m better because of them.

Happy birthday, Kindergartener! We love you more than you love cheese.