Mother's Day 2011

I celebrated my 4th Mother's Day yesterday and each one is becoming more special and perfect to me. Naturally, Sofia was up in the middle of the night for no reason whatsoever and I had trouble falling back asleep. I had bags under my eyes yesterday morning to prove it too. We hustled to get the four of us dressed and out the door for mass. Of course, I teared up in mass when the priest asked the mother's to remain standing to say a special prayer for us. The choir sang the same version of the 'Ave Maria' that they did at our wedding and there was more tearing up. Back home for the traditional picture with the family and the girls were itching to get out of their church clothes and into play clothes to enjoy the gorgeous weather we had.  Rather than have Anthony cook for me, he took the girls outside while I happily fussed about the kitchen, singing along to the music and utterly enjoying getting brunch prepared for my family. No one was attached to my leg, asking for a snack, needing help with a puzzle or pointing to a boo-boo for a kiss. It was bliss. Occasionally, I would glance out our kitchen window to see the girls running circles around their daddy and hearing them shriek, the one always trying to be louder than the other. Then commence brunch where it was non-stop talking and chomping. So much for quiet, but I really wouldn't have it any other way.

I love looking through my old pictures from Mother's Day and seeing us grow. I know it's only inevitable, this growing thing, but it makes me smile and tear up at the same time.  Why do they have to grow so fast? Why is Olivia already speaking in complete sentences and asking for things I didn't even think she knew the name of? Why does Sofia look like ten years older than she is? How is it possible that I have a 4-year-old and an almost 2-year-old?  Time just takes over and there's little we can do about it. We have to remember to be a part of all the times - the good, the bad and the ugly - and sorry to sound hokey, but make sure we're making the most of it all. Because before you can count to ten, something else has gone and happened, a moment come and gone and you just have to pray you were a part of it.

I love these girls so much. They made me a mama and the only way I can ever re-pay them is to try and be the best mama I can be.

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Sofia received this awesome balloon-making thing-a-ma-jig from friends at her 2nd birthday party. Yesterday, Anthony broke it out for them and wowed them with his balloon-making skills. I like to call him the Balloon Whisperer. He got totally into it and the girls loved each second.

Olivia not only loved seeing the bubble balloons that were made, but also the suds collecting in the bucket. She thought it was bath time and was soaping herself up. She cracks me up!

Day-to-day life is going to catch up with me soon. Mother's Day 2011 will really be in the past but the memories will always be close to my heart. There are more beautiful moments to be made, hugs & kisses to give, laundry to be done hoping that I didn't leave a red sock in with the white clothes, meals to be prepared while trying to not trip on cars and tiaras and squabbles to break up. The important thing for me to remember is that all of those things, plus a ka-billion more, are what make up my life, this life I appreciate so much and what makes me so happy.

* if you look at the above picture close enough, you will see the reflection of the clouds, talk about lucky shot! Oh yeah, and there are two suns too.