Lenaïc doesn't like it when Papa leaves for the day

Papa has had to work a lot lately. This happens every day, but today, Sunday, it was particularly traumatic.

It's heartwrenching, but sweet. Since he's fine a few minutes later, I tend to smile more than cry. His excitement when Papa comes home, well, is beyond imagination. Jumping for joy.

That's ok. I'm chopped liver. I'm used to it.

And She's SIX

It often still amazes me. This life we brought into the world, six years ago, shortly before 10pm on July 3.






From her first moments she made her mark on us, and on everyone around us. Every year I relive the joy and excitement and trauma and fear that was her birth. The excitement as I finally realized I was in labor.  The peace and calm throughout labor, until, she decided to stall  (knowing her now, she was probably distracted on her way out of the birth canal...). Then finally, when she made her way out - the relief and joy. And then those hours after, when the NICU team weren't sure she'd survive (even though we never entertained such thoughts). 

In the six years since, our strong and determined baby has blossomed into a strong and determined and beautiful and funny and clever and crazy little girl.










She has this amazing sensitivity that allows her to feel so intensely, so passionately, for all those around her.






She's said before that she couldn't have just one best friend, because that would make her other friends feel bad.









A friend described her, saying, "you feel so full of love when you're with her." And it's true.









You get this sense of a big heart full of love flowing out to fill the space when she's near (except when she's cranky....she is a kid, after all).

Happy 6th Birthday Angelina! The world is a better place because you are in it.

Wild Birthdays!

It's that time of year again. Time to throw a wild party in honor of Angelina's Birthday. Since we have so many parties regularly, I thought we needed to do something to make this party different, more special, that the usual weekly parties.

All week Angelina walked around with her notepad saying "We have so much to do before the party! Where's my list?!" Angelina is a party girl (wonder where she gets that from?). But not only that, she has a big heart and generous soul. A party isn't a party unless she invites EVERYONE. She wants to celebrate with everyone she knows. And so she did.

Angelina was SO excited when friends started arriving. She eventually got into the pool, but then realized she wouldn't be able to appropriately greet all her guests, so she got out to play hostess. Her hostess skills are impressive! In the end, we had 49 kids, ages about 7 months to 13 years. I didn't count the adults, but am guessing about 30. So that's about 80 people in our house. Well, mostly outside our house, even though it was in the high 90sF (lovely a cool compared to how it's been...). 

Don't let this picture fool you, this was taken during the After Party at 7pm

We have a 15ft above ground pool, which at its peak had at least 17 kids.  We also had a couple of kiddie pools set up. A trampoline. A playscape. A playhouse. A sandbox. A kid paradise.

 But to add to the fun, we had a special surprise. Animals. And not just any animals, but exotic animals:

Kinkajou

Hedgehog

Lemur

Ball python

Coati

and cake......

Lenaïc was sure to join in the fun