Naomi Turned 6!

 Naomi turned 6.  She is a real blessing in our lives and in our family.  I am grateful for this girl who made me a parent, and teaches me and motivates me to be a better one.  I love watching her brain work, seeing how creatively she sees the world, her courage and curiosity, her questions about God, her love for her friends, and her brother.  This past year she has really become friends with Micah, as he is able to play with her more and more. 
Naomi had a lovely birthday this year - with family celebrations, and friend celebrations, and Colorado celebrations.  For her actual birthday Naomi had a couple of requests.  First, for her birthday present from me she wanted a "fancy dress."  So, we went shopping!  And found the dress seen in a bunch of these pictures.  It was so fun to go with her and give her (almost) free reign on her choice. And once she knew, she knew she had found the one!!  She couldn't wait to open her presents on her birthday too, so she had a magnifying class and an actual break-it-yourself geode, and some mystery playmobil from Mark and Micah.  Cool stuff.

Naomi also asked to go to San Antonio to see her cousins and Nana on her birthday, so off we went, to find playtime and cake.

 

 

One of my favorite traditions around the kids' birthdays is around cake - I make carrot cake, Mark does the decorating...

 This year her cake evolved into a Peacock Cake!  Along with her specific request of a girls' tea party to celebrate (with fancy dress), it was a lovely day! And Naomi felt celebrated and loved.

Whoa Summer!!

Oh my.  I am so behind here - 3 months behind.  School and work ended, summer happened, and now we are back in full swing with school and work all solidified and beginning again.  So, this happened:

Naomi has had her first two days of First Grade.  She is just growing before my eyes and I love it!  She is such a great kid - loves learning, and loves her friends, and loves her cousins and brother and grandparents.  She asks questions and is creative.  And really knows what she likes and doesn't like.  She looks so confident in this picture!  Which she really felt starting school this year, despite going to a new school.  Her second day, today, she greeted her teacher with a hug, so I think we are off to a good start. 

Micah started back to school two weeks ago, and saw his former teachers and then moved up to the two-year old class.  They are named the Dragonfly class, and he is very proud of this, and may tell you when you ask about class that Dragonflies have wings.  One of his teachers was Naomi's teacher when Naomi was a Dragonfly, and I like the circular-ness of that.  Something about the class really meets him where he is these days, because where we had some tears and a bit of separation anxiety before, now he is excited and playing with friends and not quite ready to leave after nap time because he and a friend are building something or reading books together on their mats.  I love that this is the year he starts making friends.

Mark is content in his work with CRG these days.  Officing from home means gardening on his lunch hour, and some flexibility time-wise.  I am happy to back at UT and I find myself pretty content with our family setup right now - we are each in good places, and they work well together for our family.  I am working part time, so I am able to be with the kids after school and on Fridays.  Mark is officing from home.  And Naomi's new school is in the same neighborhood as Micah's, which is all close to my work.  It feels like things are solidifying a bit, and feel manageable and balanced.  Hopefully?   I hope this continues to feel true!