Chloe is 14!!!! Which makes me......

Chloe's Twelfth Birthday
Hanging out in 2006
Chloe at horse camp 2005
Chloe when she used to pose!
Chloe & Mallory 2005

I cannot not tell you how hard it is to say ,"I have 14 year old!" It just doesn't seem possible.Chloe came when I was not planning on being a mom yet. Little did I know she was exactly what I needed and changed me for the better. Without Chloe, Dana and I would not have become a family. Without Chloe, I would not have become a mom. And without Chloe, I would have missed the best love of my life. So to say she is special does not quite cover it. She is a reflection of all the things I wished I could have been. She has always been mature. She is very kind and always thinks about others first. She has her Dad's wicked sense of humor and can always make me laugh. I cannot stay mad at her for more than 10 minutes. And she is confident and sure of who she is. And I am planning on going to college with her b/c I will miss my best friend way too much to let her go. But I guess that is what being a mom is all about. Letting go a little each day, hoping they remember all you taught them and praying they won't let go completely.

AHHHH, Organization

O.K. So this proof the kitchen can be clean.
Clean pantry with new bread box.
Newly organized cabinets.
More oranization
My mail center clutter fest is now in the cabinet above and my mixer can stay out on display!

My mom Sandi came for a visit last week. She actually stayed for three days, which is rare and we had so much fun. We went shopping at the new outlet and she was so kind to buy me some new clothes.(I think she was tired of seeing the same clothes!) But the highlight of the trip for me was Organizing my kitchen. My mom has an awesome talent of organizing. I know you are feeling a little jealous, I know. So before she came I pitched the idea for her to help my with the pantry. Well, she took it to a new level and organized most of my cabinets! She convinced me to put some things that I never use in tub stored on the top of my closet. And she added some helpful items as well. So far I really feel the need for the kitchen to be perfect...which is a good thing. If only the rest of the house looked so good....

It's Blueberry Time

Mallory looking the part...but not actually playing the part.
Cole in his element- outside, on a farm!
Mia's version of picking- dumping dirt from one pail to another.

So, I am all about planning stuff for the summer, including school hour M-F, field trips, library days, pool/Splashtown and basically anything to entertain and teach my kids. So our first official field trip was an outing to Morehead Blueberry Farm. Of course it was the first day of a Super Hot week here in Houston. So when we pulled up at 9:45, it was already blazing hot! But we were optimistic, meaning I was convincing my kiddos it wasn't THAT hot. Well, the girls lasted about 45 minutes and baled. Chloe took the keys and the little girls to sit in the air conditioned car.(Ironic since the A/C went out about 6 hours later....another blog). But Cole and I prevailed and managed to pick 7 1/2 pds of blueberries in a total of 1 and 1/2 hours! Yea for us.

Cole: I am good at picking blueberries

Mom: Yes you are.

Cole: I should be a picker when I grow up.

Mom:Yes, you should.

Cole:I pick better than you do.

Pause..I look at his pail and sure enough, he actually has way more than me!

Mom: Yes, you are a way better picker than me!

We are planning on returning next week, sans the girls to do some serious picking, with Cole's help of course!

Let the summer begin

The Gang

Mama and Mallory hanging out pool side!
Cole, Uncle Joseph and Mallory

Mia with her bum hanging out...always!
Mia and Mallory's cute toes!

Well, summer is officially here and we could not be any busier! The first week of summer(first full week with no school), we went with Dana to his property in Dallas for a few days and had the best time! The property was gorgeous, with views of downtown with floor to ceiling windows through out the entire apartment. We swam on the rooftop pool and walked to eat downtown and hung out with my friend Elizabeth at a park full of life size longhorns! We have no photos b/c Chloe took my camera on her trip to Washington D.C that same week! Then we came home and went to Georgetown to see Nina and Papa Merris. The kids had a great time with their Uncle Joseph who is super fun and Very patient! We swam and went to the movies(Mia's first time) and me and the little girls went and had our toes done! Nina's treat! We have set a high standard for the first week of summer....I am a little scared.

Chloe's Eighth Grade Dance

Emily And Chloe at the school dance
Taelor and Chloe
Emily and Chloe sporting the limo look- yeah, L.A. should watch out!
Kelsey and Chloe before the SECOND dance
All the girls in the limo- don't even ask!

I am reading the previous post about Mia and thinking how sweet to have a two year old and all the joys of toddler hood. But now I am switching gears into an unknown land-teenager hood!!!!! It is quite interesting to balance these two mini-families we have. One family consists of three young children, always keeping us busy and entertained. Then there is this other family- Chloe. She is 8, 10 and 12 years apart from the other kids and was by herself for 8 years. So she is like an only child in a lot of ways. So while I am raising small children, teaching them the basics, I also am raising a teenager, who already knows all the basics and needs help remembering the basics and a lot of directing as she has new experiences all the time. So Cole graduated from kindergarten yesterday and Chloe graduated from middle school!! I feel the gray hairs multiplying. But Chloe is a great girl and is truly one of my very best friends in the world! I think because I had her so young(21), we kind of grew up together in a lot of ways. I enjoy watching her grow up and she slips away a little everyday. It hurts my heart when I know she will be gone in a few short years. But for now I will watch her moment to moment, memorizing her sweet mannerisms, enjoying her humor and outlook on life. And isn't she just gorgeous? Well, she is gorgeous inside and out. And I guess she will always be my baby, too. She made me a mom and I am forever grateful.

Mia Growing Up

Mia's first days in wires
Me and Mia talking about life
Mia and her 'prissy' smile

I found her sleeping with her bow being used as a sleeping mask
Happy Mia
Still Happy

Watching Mallory......Still always watching Mallory

I have been thinking a lot about Mia and the fact that she is my "Baby" but really she is not a baby any longer. I can feel myself holding on a little tighter and wanting her not to grow up at all. I even try to cuddle her like a baby in the recliner and I will say,"Are you my baby?" And she replies every time,"No, I not your baby. I big girl!" Ouch! But I do remember when she was a baby and how I did cherish her every moment! So here is a memory lane tour of my Not a baby...baby.

Mia was 5 weeks early and although I thought I was prepared for a preemie, I was not. She weighed 6 pds so I thought she would be fine but her lungs were not fine and she spent 10 days in the NICU. I didn't even get to hold her the first day and the second night the nurse let me hold her, even though I wasn't suppose to b/c of her wires, IV lines, etc. She seemed so tiny since my baby before Mallory was 10 pds! (Another ouch.) But we did get her home on Cole's birthday and the day before Mother's Day. She was quiet most of the time, slept the entire summer and ate a lot. When she got older, she would hang onto me like a little monkey holds onto the mama and I loved it. She has always been very attached to me but pretty independent.

When she was in the NICU, one night Nurse Jenny called and told me they had finally been able to give her a bath(7 days old) and they thought Mia had red hair! Oh, was that a sign! Cole had predicted on a chart I made that Mia would have red hair and look like him! What he forgot to mention was that she would act like him! Mia is loud, climbs everything, has a mean temper and loves to snuggle, just like her brother! I always said I prayed for another girl but forgot to mention what personality I wanted! I got the girl but one just like my little man!

But Mia is bright, funny, caring and knows what she wants! I always wished I had been less shy and more outspoken as a child and Mia is showing me how it is done! But I don't worry that much about her- She takes care of herself. What a firecracker, what a perfect little red for me to love and watch. And what a blessing for the world to know!