Celebrating 7 Years!!!

Today we celebrate Alyssa's 7th birthday. While she is definitely the star of the show, I am celebrating in my own little cameo role. As of 2:13 PM MST today, I have been a mom for 7 whole years. I think that deserves some celebrating of its own. Most people go to college for 4 years, maybe 8 before starting their life's work. I was here for 26 years preparing for motherhood.

The day that Alyssa was born was easily the best day of my life...easily. I won't give you the whole story but rather focus on the gift of 7 years.

Alyssa is our dramatic child. She came into the world emotional and cried for a good 4 months just to let us know that she had arrived. She is also super sassy. She gives me the whole...Whatever mom! with a stomp and a sigh. Oh adolescence is going to be fun!

Of course it can be a bit tiresome when your first grader cries more than your baby but I love that Alyssa is plugged into her life. She really feels everything.
Being present in your life also allows you to love more deeply. Miss Alyssa LOVES to love. She still loves to snuggle and be held. We look awfully silly picking up a 7 year old but I will hold that child until my arms break from the effort. I don't think that anyone has ever needed me the way that Alyssa needs me.

When Chloe was born my friend Heather gave me a book called You are all my Favorites, to read to the kids. It is about a Mama with 3 baby bears and she is explaining how she loves them all the best. When I got to the part about the biggest baby bear Alyssa's little eyes teared up and she thanked me for loving her so much. This kid just melts my heart.

Alyssa is also ridiculously funny. She has had us rolling in the aisles since her debut 7 years ago. She is so expressive and witty. She memorizes commercials and infomercials after one viewing and can quote them back perfectly. It cracks us up. She started trying to sell us on Mighty Putty when she was 3 (RIP Billy Mays). She even ran to find me one day to tell me they invented Kymaro's body shaper and it would be perfect for me...thanks!

Alyssa is also our little talker. She started talking at 5 months old and at 18 months she had her bedtime stories memorized and could repeat them back to us with perfect diction. Is she brilliant? I don't know. I think she just likes the sound of her own voice...wonder where she got that...Seth?

Alright, so I get the credit for the talking but she does have a lot in common with her Daddy too. She LOVES salmon, lobster, crab legs, steak...do you see a pattern? These two will put me in the poor house with their fancy eating habits. She also loves to fish and camp and play with bugs and I know she got that from her daddy.

Even though Alyssa knows how to rough it she is also a full blooded princess. She loves all things girlie...especially BOYS! Her diary is full of all the boyfriends she has had in her life. The boys all seem to love her too according to all the other moms at school, another reason adolescence is going to be fun. Let's be honest though, the gene pool was really generous with Alyssa (in my totally unbiased mommy opinion). Alyssa arrived beautiful and she is still beautiful.

I suppose I could tell you all day about who Alyssa is but I could never sum up what she means to me. I love hanging out with her. My heart does a happy jump when her bus pulls up after school and I LOVE summer break when we never have to put her on the bus at all.

I valued my life before Alyssa came, but I cherish it since. I know that so many women feel lost in motherhood, but I am found. Thank you for making me a mommy Alyssa.

Happy Birthday!!!! I love you!!!!

July 2, 2002

First birthday...nice face

Second birthday

Third birthday...with the classic "Alyssa with an attitude" face again

Fourth birthday

Fifth birthday

Sixth birthday


This year we are celebrating on the fourth and I will tell you all about it in a couple weeks so stay tuned.