Seven things I know about Anna.
1. Jalapeño chips are her FAVORITE. And turkey sandwiches with only mayo. And my garlic cheese bread. And broccoli. And Milky Way chocolate bars. And Spanish rice. And strawberries.
2. When I wake her up for school, she will grumble and make puppy noises and bat her eyelashes at me to try and persuade me to let her sleep in, or to get in and snuggle with her. I have had to crack down and let her be late to school once to prove a point. “I am not a snooze button,” I tell her.
3. “HORSE” was at the top of her christmas and birthday lists. (A living, breathing horse.)
4. $20 of her birthday money went to buy two pairs of metallic ballet flats. (Couldn’t decide between pink and gold, so she bought both.) She calls the gold pair the “disco shoes”. She knows what disco is because of the movie “Mama Mia”. (Sidenote: She watches it in my room and doesn’t know we can hear her singing along, and I will stop whatever I am doing, turn down whatever other noise is around, and listen.)
5. She wants to read ME a story every night. And for me to snuggle with her in bed. So that when I leave, there is a warm spot for her to nuzzle into, and it smells like my hair.
6. She is VERY animated, but can sometimes go quiet, serene, into herself. I love both parts of her personality. Her shyness is breaking up slowly, but is still there. For example, she will be belting out a song in the backseat but the second we draw attention to her, not a peep.
7. She LOVES her Daddy. Their relationship has blossomed in the last few months. She is reaching out for him more, instead of focusing most of her attention on me. They are bonding and I am so grateful she gets to grow up with a Dad like Jeff.
Also, I have noticed her pulling away from me. In a natural, I am growing up kind of way. Not wanting to hold my hand in public. Telling me she can brush her own hair. Not needing to make sure I sit next to her any time we sit somewhere as a family. This is very bittersweet.
She is one of the reasons we all work so well together. The last piece in our puzzle.
Without her around, we wouldn’t have anyone to get our daily fix of deliciously tickly little girl from.
And that would be a tragedy.
LOVE. This post fills me with love.
Oh, heart swelling, beautiful post. Happy Birthday to Anna!
sigh. write more. please?
you’re magical to me.
sniff!! x
you have a wonderful family!! Thank you for sharing such wonderful pictures and words!
how sweet!
I love how you recognize and celebrate the uniqueness of each of your kids. It’s such a wonderful thing. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again…you’re such a great mom.
Can’t believe Anna is 7! And I LOVE LOVE LOVE the bullpen picture! So awesome! love you Belle
happy birthday anna!
your family is beautiful!
love this post! :)
I cannot believe she is SEVEN. And your garlic cheese bread is darn good eatin’.
SEVEN!! How did that happen so fast? Bittersweet, indeed. “…warm spot for her to nuzzle into, and it smells like my hair” made my heart melt. Your words and photos are delicious. Missing y’all like crazy!
oh my god. the photo of you and jeff (parts of your faces). LOVE. brought tears to my eyes. seriously amazing. the love, comfort, desire/attraction (whatever you want to call it)….it’s all there. wow.
so much i love about this post.
happy happy birthday beautiful anna! you make the world beam!
and sweetie… that photo of you+jeff snuggling is the most adorable thing i’ve seen this week… love love love!
My baby just turned five on Friday…my youngest of four boys and I agree about the glue thing. I love the picture of you and your Jeff and wish my Jeff would participate in a picture like that ;)
Love that series of four of the kids on the bench. Great shots as always :) Don’t know how you do it!
happy, happy birthday, sweet anna! (and happy “anna’s birth day” to mama tara, too!)
There is a 90% chance I will cry everytime I turn on your blog…..Dear me…what a sap I am….thanks for letting so many emotions come of your beautiful photos and writing.
Love your list, totally understand the ‘bitter sweetness’ of your baby growing up. …if only they didn’t grow so fast.
how much do i love the close-up shot of you and your man? lots&lots.
Thanks for posting the list of 7 things. It made me cry, so sweet! My oldest is soon to be 5 and thinking of her growing up and away is so bittersweet. You list just reinforces that we need to charish each moment and love them with all of our hearts.
Happy Birthday Anna!! :)
happy 7 miss anna!
she is delightful!
so happy you had
her, she fits right
in your adorably perfect
famiLY!
tara
Happy Bday Anna! you must be a pretty sweet, & intelligent & awesome girl because you share the same bday with ME lol ..Tara I LOOOOVE that pic of you & Jeff
Ahhh Happy birthday. Love how you documented that. I always think I will never forget and now looking back I find that I have forgotten. Beautiful Family.
7! Wow .. oh to be seven again!! So sweet..
What a sweet post. I love what your wrote.
Love that you included a pic of Anna when she was younger. Your baby is growing up! Thanks for sharing.
What a fun girl! I must say I love the ones of them on the bench! :)
your photographs are always worth looking at. you are one of the best!
Number 5 is so sweet! I love the picture of when she was little. My oldest is about to turn 7 next month so I know how you feel.
Happy Birthday to Miss Tara. I love the picture of Miss Priss in front of the green house at the Putt Putt course. You have a beautiful family. (And I loved how you put it… She’s the piece of the puzzle that finishes your family… or something like that.) It’s like something would be missing forever if you hadn’t had your last baby. That’s how I feel about Roxie. We would have been a happy family… but something would have been missing.
Great pictures and a great post. Have a good day!
ahhh. happy birthday sweet girl. love the photos and love the list. very, very sweet!
Loved this post. Happy Birthday to your baby girl. XO
looks like a wonderfully fun birthday celebration.. we love putt putt golf ourselves… by the way Tara.. Have I mentioned I just love your sense of style?
Holy Cow! Nate-dogg looks like he has grown a half a foot! When did he get so tall? He’s gonna pass Drew pretty soon.
the snuggle picture is beautiful…all, of course are beautiful but that one…makes me take a deep breathe…
tara why is it that EVERYTHING you touch turns to gold? I’m sure you get it all the time but the natural quality of your work is beyond delicious. i always feel like i’m there with you.
On a side note, i love your idea about taking a self family portrait every month. i’m quite sure my child will think i didn’t exist because there is no proof of me in pictures. that also means that I have no pictures of our family together. so thanks for the idea. i love it.