Happy 9th Birthday Piper!

 

1/13/2023

Dear Piper,

Another year has gone by in the blink of an eye. You are another year older, better, and wiser. You are almost at double digits! That is the craziest sentence I have ever typed. I can't believe that I ever lived my life with out you. It seems like my life began the night you were born.

Your eighth year of life has been the year of soccer. Oh, how much soccer you have played this year. Your daddy and I feel like were are always shuttling you either to practice, games, or training. It has been exhausting! BUT, you really seem to love to play. You have made so many friends on the academy team at UFA. Your Coach is Alan. He is tough, but so are you! You have fallen in love with playing defense--which is another sentence I never thought I would type. You have become a pretty good defender, though. You do get a little sad that you don't typically get to score. In your team's winter tournament you got your first goal of the season when Coach Alan let you take a free kick just outside the box. You put it right through the wall, and in the back of the net. Then you literally jumped for joy! I almost cried I was so happy for you!

This year was also a year of travels. We took you to NYC for Spring Break and dragged you all around the big apple. You met the statue of liberty, saw the city skyline from several different rooftops, and giggled along with the genie at Aladdin on Broadway. It was a fantastic trip, and we continue to be dazzled by how easy it is to travel with you. You LOVE it, and so do we!

You also took a cruise with your bestie Rylee and her family. It was our first time cruising with friends, and we have already booked another cruise for next year. It was so much fun! You and Rylee enjoyed playing your daddies at foosball after your mommies went back to the rooms at night. You guys danced together at shows, and even swam with the dolphins together!

We also went to Disney for September break like we normally do. However, there was a hurricane that came through--so we had to bail out early on our trip. Which means we had to reschedule. I had always had this fantasy of you being in Magic Kingdom for your actual birthday, so we decided to bring you back this weekend for MLK weekend. I am so excited to hear all of the Disney workers wish you a happy birthday!

You have grown even taller. You are the second tallest kid on your soccer team and in your class at school. You weigh about 80 pounds too. And you already wear a size 4 1/2 shoe. Pretty soon you will be able to wear my shoes. I am sure you will be taller than me before I know it as well. 

This year in school your teacher is Mrs. Sheppard. You made a new friend in your class named Charlee. You are excelling in math and your writing is really getting good! You love to research topics you are interested in, but don't really like to read other than that. 

You are still a huge Taylor Swift fan, but you are starting to branch out into a few different artists. You like a fair mixture of your dad's and my favorites. You are still a huge fan of Boy Meets World and we are watching episodes every night before bed. You can quote just about the whole series, which is pretty impressive. You also really enjoy watching Cobra Kai--which is a remake from the Karate Kid franchise.

You had two sleepovers for your birthday. One with your soccer team mates and one with your school friends. We all had a blast celebrating you. We tye dyed shirts and played video scavenger hunts. We ate ice cream cake--your fav! It is always so much fun celebrating you baby girl!

So Happy Birthday Piper! My only baby girl, my light, my life. I hope you enjoy the next 12 months as much as the last, and that you continue to grow into the beautiful young lady that you want to be. I love you to the moon and to Saturn. No amount of time with you will ever be enough.

Love, 

Mommy

Happy 8th Birthday Piper

 January 13th, 2022

Dear Piper,

Today is your 8th Birthday! Another year gone, and I am once again reminded of how quickly you change and grow. This year has been another year that we have spent in the unknown. As the world around us struggled with a global pandemic, your dad and I worried about how this might short change you and your childhood. I hope that as you read this--the grown up you looks back on this year with a smile, and that you feel that you had all of the normal childhood experiences. We want that so much for you!

During this year you continued to grow like a weed, and I am fairly sure that my days of being taller than you are going to be numbered. You are tall enough that you reach the top of my shoulder, and you  weigh around 70 pounds. You have lost several teeth this year and your smile looks quite different than last year. You will probably need braces in the next few years, but you don't seem worried in the least. You love to wear your hair in a pony tail most days, but occasionally you like for me to braid it, too. You love to watch 90s shows with your daddy, belt Taylor Swift at the top of your lungs, and read Harry Potter with me.

This year you found and fell in love with soccer! You enjoyed playing with your bestie, Hadley. Your team even won a championship in the spring. You are still going strong in the sport, and enjoy training with your daddy. You especially love scoring goals. I am so proud of how quickly you have learned the sport and how hard you are willing to work to get better at it. You still cheered this year. It was your third year, and you had a blast with your other bestie Rylee. But as of right now, you have decided that soccer is your favorite!

This past summer we took you on a few different trips. We once again traveled to Virginia. You met Thomas Jefferson, and went to the Virginia Aquarium. We also went to Hilton Head Island--where you decided that the ocean is only cool if the water is clear. We played soccer on the beach, got ice cream nearly every night, and I even got stung by a sting ray... ouch! In September, we went back to Disney. You ride pretty much everything. Your favorite park is Animal Kingdom, and your favorite ride is still Everest. This time Dylan came with us, and we loved watching you interact with each other. We plan to go back this September, too!

In August you started 2nd grade. Mrs. Wells is your teacher, and one of your good friends, Carter, is in your class this year. You are still enjoying gifted with Mrs. Schwammle. You made a few good friends so far this year, and even invited a new friend to your birthday party! You had another slumber party this year for your birthday and you all stayed up until 3 am--Whew! I am still tired from that one!

You still love to play with LOL dolls and Barbies, but I do feel like our time is limited with toys. Sports and electronics are definitely what you would choose to spend your time and effort on this year. We are very happy about that, but it still makes me sad to see all of the little girl things start to turn into big girl things. 

Most all this year you are closer to becoming the person you are going to be. You are smart, caring, and honest, but you can also be challenging, hard-headed, and sassy. Whatever you are--I shall love you just as I do now. 

Happy Birthday my sweet, sweet P. 

Love,

Mommy

Happy 7th Birthday Piper!

 January 13, 2021

Dear Piper,

Today you turn 7! Every year I sit here and write this letter to you and say the same thing. I cannot believe that you are 7. You are such a young lady now. You definitely are not a baby. Your seventh year of life has been quite a doozy, but it has been for all of us. I'm sure one day you will look back on this year with fond memories. It is the year that we spent together. The year where you were unable to finish Kindergarten because of a virus and subsequent pandemic. We did a lot during quarantine. You dad and I tried to keep things fun, educational, and as normal as possible. I hope that we succeeded!

You weigh about 55 pounds now and are around 50 inches tall! Your hair is still long, wavy, thick, and dark. Your eyes are more hazel than green these days, but I love them just the same. You have developed a few tiny freckles on your nose. You have started losing your baby teeth and have lost 5 this past year. You still love Taylor Swift and will belt just about any of her songs from the backseat of the car. Your current favorite TV show is Victorious from Nickelodeon. It's an older show that your brother Dylan watched as a kid too. Your Favorite color is turquois, and your favorite food is Mommy's Mac and Cheese.

This year you are in First Grade with Mrs. Hall. This is a very different school year where you have had to wear masks, and social distance as much as possible. There are limits to who you can play with on the playground, and all kinds of weird things. BUT you, my flexible baby girl, have taken all of those changes in stride. You are your typical happy, sassy, self. This year you have continued to grow and learn. You are doing so well learning to read. It is secretly my favorite each night listening to you read books as I comb your hair after your shower. I can't wait to start reading Harry Potter with you before bedtime next year! This year at school you also tested into the Gifted Program. We are so very proud of you--you little smarty pants!

Despite the pandemic, we were able to make to it Disney World this year. You love it there! This was the first trip where we didn't take the stroller, and we honestly didn't miss it. You got tired by the end of the day, but you didn't really whine. You are still our little travel buddy who would much prefer to be out and about than at home. You were finally old enough to ride everything, and you did so enthusiastically. You even rode the Rock n' Roller Coaster, your first coaster to go upside down. Even though you had to wear a mask the whole time. I think it was worth it. We had a blast. We didn't make it to our condo in Virginia, and there were no cruises. We had a summer spent lounging at the pool, and playing with your neighborhood bestie, Tambrey. There were lots of Board Games, movie nights, and days spent learning to ride your bike without training wheels, and tying your shoes. Both of which you can do now! Overall, when I think about this last year--I am grateful that I had more time to savor 6 year old you!

Probably the biggest change for our family in the last year was the addition or our little French bulldog, Coco. You love Coco, and the feeling is
definitely mutual. She cannot wait to greet you when you come down stairs in the morning. You love to cuddle with her on the couch or even the floor. There have also been some epic games of "dog ball." We hope she will be your best friend for years to come. 

You had a blast in your second season cheering for the Lanier Lions. You love tumbling and stunting. I am so looking forward to next season. You also enjoy your girl scout troop. You especially like the cookies!

Happy Birthday Pipes! I love you big! You give me so much love each and everyday. I hope you get just a fraction of that today on your special day.

Love, 

Mommy

Happy 6th Birthday Piper

January 13, 2020

Dear Piper,

Wow, it's 2020! I can't believe it. You are 6 years old today! What an amazing 6 years we have had with you. I am so proud of the little girl you have become, and I look forward to the years to come. 

This year you graduated pre-K and started Kindergarten! This was really hard for Mommy and Daddy. We were not ready for this transition, and I will admit, that you struggled a tiny bit as well. Your brother Dylan also graduated high school the same time you graduated Pre-K. Can't believe how grown up you two are now!

After the initial jitters of the first day of Kindergarten, though, you couldn't wait to go back! Now, you cry if you have to miss school when you are sick! You are one of smartest girls in your class. You love your teacher, Miss Erickson. You are such a good helper! You love to answer questions, and to help other students at your table. You have learned so much in just half a school year, and I know you will continue to amaze us as the year goes on. 

You are really doing well at learning to read. You are an expert at sight words, and are really learning how to sound things out. You love to tell me what signs say as we are out and about or in the car. Now, if you could just learn to tie your shoes!

This year you switched from gymnastics to cheer leading. I'll admit that this made me very happy since I was too a cheerleader! Your team even earned an award at your very first cheer competition. You looked adorable in your uniform, and made so many friends! I hope you will all grow up together through cheer and be life long friends.

You recently started girl scouts as well, and are really enjoying it! I know we will all love the cookies that we have ordered to support you! Your favorite is Thin Mints and Samoas. 

Your best friend is still Rylee. Even though you two don't go to the same elementary school, we have found ways to see her almost weekly. You two did cheer together and now take a tumbling class. You also had your first sleepover this weekend for your birthdays. I love watching you two together, even when you bicker like siblings. 

In the past year you have gone so many places. You took a trip to Virginia again, and spent some time in Washington, D.C. as well. You enjoyed the Air and Space Museum, even if you did fall asleep in the planetarium. You went to the White House and stood in the exact spot where the Presidents have given famous speeches for decades! It was so cool! You also visited the capital building and the library of congress!

This year you took 2 cruises. You visited Puerto Rico--twice, St. Thomas, St. Kitts, St. Martin, and the Dominican Republic. You love cruises, and would prefer this type of vacation. You keep asking to go on another one. You enjoy getting ice cream at night with daddy, and going to the thrill theater to see 4d movies. You even made a really good friend on our cruise this summer, Zoey! You and daddy won a scavenger hunt on our summer cruise and earned medals and trophys. You are competitive just like Daddy!

Finally, we took a much awaited trip back to Disney. This was your 4th trip, and by far your best. You were tall enough to ride just about everything, and you were such a dare-devil, and rode everything at least once! We were so proud! You didn't care as much for the characters as you used to. You said, "they are just people in costumes." How smart you are!

This year we also moved into a brand new house. We have enjoyed decorating your room together. You even have a few friends your age in the neighborhood. You can't wait to get home each afternoon to play at Tambrey's house! We are so glad that you have made so many friends this year. 

Your favorites have really been changing this year. You love your new American Girl Doll, Blaire. She sleeps in your bed every night. You also love Legos-- I wonder if you'll be an architect one day. Your favorite show is Boy Meets World. You have watched the whole series, and just started it over. You are obsessed and often quote different scenes. You love Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez music, but you also can belt some 311 with your daddy. Your favorite song right now is The Middle by Maren Morris--you are so cute singing it in the back seat of the car!

Happy Birthday baby girl! With each new age there is more for me to love about you. You are so beautiful. I envy your long thick hair! But what is really beautiful is how you love and treat your friends. You are so caring, and protective of your friends. I hope you always stay that way!

So here's to you baby boo! I hope you got everything that you wanted, and that this year is your best yet! I can't wait to make a bunch of new memories with my favorite silly face selfie partner. 

Love, 

Mommy

Happy 5th Birthday Piper!

January 13, 2019

Dear Piper,

Today is your 5th birthday! I remember when you were one month old and I cried as I wrote your one month old birthday letter. I can not believe that I am sitting here now writing your 5th birthday letter. It amazes me how fast it has all gone by, and what a wonderful life we have built together as a family!

You are the apple of our eye, the most beautiful moment to each and every day. Your personality is all your own now. You have so much to say, and you rarely miss a moment to let me know exactly what you are thinking. You are a prankster! You love to play, Which hand is it in? You love to laugh at Daddy's jokes, dance funny dances, and have a silly face selfie session with Mommy.

You are a sensitive gal, though. you love big, and your feelings can get hurt pretty easily. You love all of your friends, and you want to help them whenever you can.

You are still doing gymnastics, and are getting pretty good at it. You love the balance beam, and are even trying to talk us into installing one in our house so that you can practice more. You got a frozen bicycle for your birthday, and are so excited to learn how to ride it. You are my little daredevil.

Speaking of daredevil, a few weeks ago you got your ears pierced. This is something that I knew that yo had wanted to do, but you had been too scared for a long time. One day, you just woke up and made that decision. You were stoic in the store, and only cried for a little bit. We are now waiting until we can change into the unicorn earrings that you picked out for when your ears are healed. 

Your favorite thing to do is play board games with us. We have played so many rounds of your new LOL Surprise game since you got it for Christmas. Speaking of LOL Surprise, they have been your favorite toy of this year. You know all of the cool toys because you love to watch a YouTube show where little girls open and play with toys. I don't understand it, but it is your thing!

Yesterday we had your birthday party. It was a girly spa LOL Surprise party. All of your girlfriends came and got their toes and nails painted. You all got your hair done and facials too! We then celebrated with the family at Mellow Mushroom. you love to have sleepovers at Glammy and G-Daddy's house, and Memo and Grampa's house as well. You love to play hard with your Uncle Matt and brother, Dylan.

This past year we didn't go on as many trips as in the past, but you did have one marathon trip to Virginia. This year we took you to visit our nation's capital at Washington, D.C. You saw all of the monuments and played in the museums. Your favorite part was going in the butterfly room at the Natural History Museum. We also visited some caverns. You went on an obstacle course, and you mined for precious gems. Then we took you to the Virginia coast to visit mommy's friends from college, Che and Brandon. You loved playing the Colton and Hollis, and we went to the beach!

You are really starting to blossom in school this year. You are doing great with your sight words. You love to do your homework for Pre-K, and your teacher is still Ms. Megan. In August you will start Kindergarten, and I hope that you grow to love it as much as you have loved Camden Academy over the last few years. I can't believe this has come so fast, but I am excited for all that you will learn in the future.

Happy Birthday baby girl! You are the perfect addition to our family. We love you more than all the stars in the sky! I hope you know how much we adore you. Daddy and I are having a hard time with you growing up so quickly, so please be gentle on us if we have a hard time letting you go. Always remember that we love you first, and that our only wish is for you to be safe and happy. I promise to try my very best to make sure that that is exactly what happens.

I love you, Always,

Mommy

Top 5 Parenting Mistakes I'm Making

A week ago I went to my daughter's 4 year check-up (only 4 months late, but who's counting). At this check-up I had a host of concerns and questions for P's doctor. Most of them were behavioral questions. These questions stemmed from issues that we have been having with our little Princess at home. As I was asking each question and she was addressing them--I already knew the conclusion. These were not problems with my child. They were weaknesses within my parenting.

I'm not afraid to admit that I'm not the perfect mother. I make mistakes each and every day. If you think you are perfect, then you are not being honest with yourself. Ultimately my daughter's doctor was helping me realize that a lot of the issues that I was having with my daughter were a direct result of things that I could change with parenting strategies.

I want to also point out that there were many suggestions that she made that I was already doing, but that were not fully effective because I was having a hard time following through. That can be the toughest part of parenting--consistency. Which leads me to number 1.

1. I'm not always consistent, and my husband and I are not always on the same page with discipline

My daughter has clearly learned that I am the easier parent to manipulate, and she is exploiting that on a daily, if not hourly, basis. Her doctor was explaining to me that by giving in to her and by being the "good cop" I was actually doing her a disservice. I do not want to create a situation later in our relationship where she thinks it is ok to walk all over me. That is not teaching her to respect me to other adults in her life.

But I don't always want to deal with punishments in the same manner as my husband. But I do understand how this can be confusing for a four year old. She needs consistent feedback on her actions, so that she knows the consequences before she acts.

2. My time out strategy was weak and inconsistent.

I kinda had a feeling that his was the case. When your kid voluntarily goes to time out without much of a fuss--you know that it is not a good sign. At the end of every time out I was spending time talking it out with P. I was explaining to her what she did wrong. We ended everything with an apology and hugs and kisses. Ultimately, the doctor helped me realize that my child is throwing tantrums out of a desire for more attention from me. So when I was putting her in time out--it was actually what she wanted. She knew at the end that she would get that undivided attention with hugs and kisses at the end. I don't know how I hadn't figured that out. I was actually reinforcing the bad behavior! It hit me like a ton of bricks.

Instead of addressing the behavior in time out. I will now try to address it at a separate time, so that she is not earning attention by behaving badly. It is a separate conversation.

The doctor suggested doing time out for 4 minutes (which is what I was already doing), but she suggesting putting P in an old car seat in the corner and strapping her in. This is genius. She also suggesting doing it without making eye contact or saying a word. Just pick her up, strap her in, set the timer and walk away.

3. I was enabling my kid's emotional outbursts

One of my biggest concerns that I addressed at the doctor was how much more emotional my child seemed in the last few weeks. Every little thing would result in a fit of tears. Things that were small and wouldn't have caused a massive scream attack before--were big deals now. I just didn't understand why this was occurring.

So the doctor asked my about what was spurring these outbreaks (mostly simple things like her stubbing her toe, someone telling her no, or spilling a tiny drop of milk on the table). She then talked about how I responded to them (usually by picking her up and consoling her). The doctor suggested that I might be enabling these outbursts by coddling my child. While I don't want to be cold with her, I do want her to be able to control her emotions. She suggested that I stop responding all together. To not make eye contact, touch, or talk to P when she has one of these fits unless I feel that she really has hurt herself. If it persists and becomes an all out tantrum, to then put her in timeout. It's just so hard to hear your baby cry, no matter the age.

4. She needs more sleep

P's doctor is a stickler about sleep. When we first starting talking about behavioral issues that was the first question, "what time does she go to bed every night?" busted!! We are in this stage where my child is trying to drop her afternoon nap. At home she really just won't do it. But the doctor was explaining that children at 4 years old still need 12 hours of sleep at night. I KNOW! It's so hard for working parents to get this accomplished. If I put her to bed too early--then I don't get to see her hardly. If I put her to bed too late--then she doesn't want to get up in the morning, and we are all late. It's so tough. But again, if we want to have a happy girl--we need her to be rested. So back to being the bedtime nazi I guess. It's harder on me than it is on her.

5. I need to be more present

I love blogging, and part of that is social media. But it is hard to find enough hours in the day to do everything well. Be a good teacher, wife, and mom and grow a blog following. But I am realizing that a lot of the issues we have are attention related. My child wants to be around me, and I am not always present. She is responding to that.

So it was a gut wrenching epiphany. One day soon--she will not want to hold my hand, or play a game with me, or lay on the couch and watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. And on that day--I will mourn for the dozens of days when I asked her to play alone or to give me a few minutes so I could post on Instagram--because these moments I will never get back.

So these will be the things that I will be working on over the next few months. What about you? What parenting mistakes are you guilty of?

Juice Plus: Why We Use It

Today I want to talk about something that is a top priority in my life. My family's health! About two years ago I went to see my child's doctor, I was fed up with my picky two year old (at the time). I was looking for ways to ensure that she would get the nourishment that she needs. Since she wouldn't eat veggies or meat--I was desperate. My daughter's doctor gave me a few suggestions. We tried most of them, but my picky eater wouldn't go for those options either. I was fed up. That's when I came to the last suggestion on the list--Juice Plus. I bit the bullet and ordered the gummies for my daughter. At first, my picky eater liked them, and then went through a phase where she wouldn't take them. Nig surprise, right?

I just thought it was another tactic that wouldn't work for her. BUT after talking with her doctor again--she recommended that I start taking the gummies. AND that worked like a charm. I made sure that I took them in front of my daughter everyday for a few days. Each time, I made a big deal about how yummy they were. Eventually, she started asking for them at dinner every night. The rest is history. We have been hooked on Juice Plus ever since. Now I take the capsules as well.

Let me say that I am usually a pretty cynical. I can be overly critical. I would be willing to bet that a lot of moms reading this post right now feel the exact same way. You will ask yourself...does this really work? What is the big deal? Why is this different from any other supplement that is out there? I totally understand your cynicism. I was there in the beginning too.

Let me also tell you that I am not a salesperson. I do not wish to track you down and annoy you with sales pitches. I am just a mom that really struggled with her child's nutrition (and it turns out my own as well). As a blogger, I am in the habit of sharing those things that really work for me, and this has really worked my me and my kid! If you think it would work for you, then great. I would love to share more information with you. If not, then you are free to keep it moving! But for now, here are reasons that we use this product.

1. It is a way to get fruits and veggies in my body and my child's body that we ordinarily wouldn't eat each day

While Juice Plus is not a substitute for actually eating. I can feel better each day when my child refuses to eat lunch at school that she has had 48 different fruits, vegetables, and grains through her Juice Plus gummies, and has received the same naturally occurring vitamins and antioxidants from the gummies.

2. It is NOT a supplement

I am not a supplement person. So this was a huge point for me with Juice Plus. Juice Plus has a nutrition label because it is food. It is not a medicine or a supplement. It is literally juicing done for you. When I look at the nutrition facts on the label I am able to see and understand what all of the ingredients are.

3. It is safe for kids, breastfeeding women, and pregnant women

Since Juice Plus is veggie and fruit juice capsules or gummies--it is totally safe for kids, nursing, and pregnant moms. This was a huge sticking point for me as well. I don't want to have to worry about my kid getting into the gummy bag and overdosing. It is completely safe.

4. There are multitudes of studies online

When we first started Juice Plus I took a look at the multitudes of clinical research findings online. As a responsible parent, I wanted to do my research, even though common sense told me that increasing the amounts of fruit and veggies in my body and my child's body would have positive outcomes. The research I read showed that the use of fruit/veggie/berry juice capsules were shown to decrease the harmful cholesterol in healthy adults. Since my heart health and the heart health of my family is a concern--this was huge for me.

5. It may help support the immune system

The year before we started taking Juice Plus--my daughter missed 11 days of daycare (school). The next year while taking Juice Plus--she missed 4. That was incredible. Whether or not it was due to Juice Plus entirely--I will take it. Here is a link to a study on how JP may support the immune system.
As a teacher--I hate missing days, so I believe that Juice Plus is worth it for this reason alone.

6. It has helped my daughter and me out with constipation

This may be TMI, but my daughter had the worst constipation issues, but I find myself reaching for the miralax a lot less frequently.

Overall, this whole plant based nutrition has given me peace of mind. I truly feel that it will lead us to a better quality of life with fewer sick days, and stronger bodies. If you would like more information reach out to me on social media or via email here. You can also find more information on the Juice Plus Website

What do you use for nutrition in your family? What works for your picky eaters?