19 October, in pictures...

Victoria's birthday... just too many details! Maybe someday I'll write them all out, but in the meantime... here's a brief, in pictures!

Beyond the "forbidden doors" is where the MAGIC happened! (I always laughed cause of the neon letters over the door!) Made me think I was giving birth on the strip in Vegas!

Yea, a child is born!

Oh yeah, take a picture of the time! (she was actually born at 0132am)

They cleaned her up, and then she got to meet mommy...

And then mommy had to share with Daddy... DARNIT!

Hours later, Victoria got to meet big sister, Ava. Ava fell in love.

Her baby dolls don't cuddle like she does :D

With school over and homework done, Stevie got to come up and meet Baby V. Can you see the look of wonder and amazement on her face??

Mommy's three angels... All three girls, all born in October!

A quick peek at the punk who refused to sleep in her crib. She's taking up half of mommy's hospital bed!

The pediatrician (who also examined Ava 3 years earlier), making sure the monkey is fit for the zoo!

Victoria's first bath...

I love how concerned Ava is!

A VERY jealous feline...

She's been waiting an awfully long time to fill this position :)

Oct...

Eight. That's how old she turned today. I can't believe just a year ago I'd posted a birthday post about her (to include all her birthday pictures from birth through age 7! What's even more unbelievable is how big she's gotten in just the past couple of months...

Stevie started 3rd grade this year. I was having such a hard time with her in the beginning. I'm not sure if it was because I was pregnant and impatient, or too strict with her, or expected too much from her. It seemed like there was just that ONE switch that refused to come on in her brain - and it was the one I tried the hardest to flip on for her! I couldn't get her to remember to make her bed every morning... or to put her dirty clothes where they needed to go. I couldn't get her to understand that she was her little sister's only friend - and that shutting the bedroom door in her face to "play by herself" wasn't the nicest thing in the world. I crossed my eyes in frustration as Stevie couldn't grasp that it was easier to read ONE library book at a time from school, instead of one at home, one at school, one on the playground, and one for every place in between.

Then magically, one day... it happened. She started getting along with Ava! She started bringing home grades of 90 or better from school (not that she's ever had below an 80!) She started making her bed every morning without my having to ask her to. Occasionally she needs a little reminding - but she was doing it on her own finally... If we ask her to do something, it's usually met without an argument! I'm just amazed at how respectful and responsible she's turning out to be.

She finished piano lessons (as you can see from the previous post!) The recital went beautifully, with Stevie playing every single note of her three pieces correctly. She worked so hard, practiced 5 times a week (against her will) and was so excited to dress up and have her hair curled and play for a church filled with people who were there to support the kids' hard work! Thanks to Mrs. Laura Hartz for teaching Stevie about music, to appreciate it, to find it, to love it... Now, Stevie's been chosen as part of the intermediate keyboarding class at school where she'll continue to play and practie and learn at school (for free!) :D

Stevie's final week of soccer is this week... Oct 23rd will be her last game, complete with medals, certificates, and n end-of-season team party :) Hoping that her grandmother makes the drive from France on the Friday night so she can watch Stevie play in her last game and be part of the festivities!

As for today, Stevie's actual birthday, the celebration was small. With a baby sister due at just about any minute, I didn't want to deal with a HUGE celebration and tons of people - just in case we had to cancel. I got her a small cake, she got to open gifts from me and daddy, and daddy took the girls swimming for an hour or so and picked up McDonalds for lunch! Now, she's outside with her new iCarly video camera, taking videos of her friends to put on the computer later :P

The BIG birthday party will be on 30 October... Nico's family is all coming from France to visit the new baby when she arrives.... and we'll throw a huge birthday party for all three of my October girls! (and his mom!) It'll be interesting to see how 14 people fit in our little apartment, but that's the thing I love about my family... Though there are many - we are filled with love! I love being packed in, talking, hugging, laughing, spending time with one another. We'll also get to take our nephews trick or treating!! Can't wait for such a fun-filled weekend!!!

Well... below, pictures from today :) Ava insisted on helping blow out the candles. . . Fortunately she wasn't too heartbroken about the fact that there were no gifts for her. I'm glad she was such a big girl about it. Her special day will be here on the 27th!

Stevie's 8th cake

Ava help Stevie??

Stevie, wondering what to wish for...

Ava, waiting to do her job (help blow out candles!)

Proud 8 year old

Got 'em all!

...with help from sister of course!

Music to My Ears

In early June of this year, I signed Stevie up for piano lessons... I've tried hard, since she was young, to give her something new to experience every year. First was ballet, then horseback riding lessons... drama club at school, science club, soccer... It was a little boy's solo piano piece at the end of school recital last year that peaked her interest in learning to play on her own. So, I set out to help her do just that.

We struggled through some of it. You've got to be very dedicated to be a student of Mrs. Laura Hartz! 5 days of practice a week.... and I have to admit that it got old playing the same song over and over... but eventually, I didn't have to kick Stevie in the butt as hard, and she took it upon herself to achieve and excel! I couldn't have been a more proud mother of my little girl...

I was so worried I'd be in the hospital for her big night tonight! Fortunately, Baby V has held out (and is still holding out UNFORTUNATELY!) But I got to dress Stevie up, and watch as she rocked her three pieces... Lightly Row, French Children's Song, and Little Playmates. Below are pictures of her big debut (standby for video uploads... they're HUGE files!) - enjoy!

I Love Home

We recently purchased a used, but bigger dining room table. Nico went today to pick it up... It was bittersweet for me to take the legs off of our 4-seater dining room table. Silly right? It's JUST a table. I bought it from k-mart about 7 years ago when it was just me and Stevie living in a 1 bedroom apartment in Shreveport, LA. Funny thing is, we never even used it! I just bought it cause a house was supposed to have a table.

When I met Nicolas, he insisted that dining happened at the table. It was so weird for me, to be sitting face to face with people at a table... almost intimidating! I was so used to Happy Meals at the coffee table in front of whatever good show was playing that night. Eating at the dining room table took a lot of getting used to. Once it was a habit though, it just felt right. Saved on staining the carpet as well!

Soon, 3 seats were used at the table... then 4. I smiled as that old dining room table filled up with people that belonged to my loving family. So maybe you can see why it was bittersweet to take it apart today so it could be stored in the basement until I can find a buyer.

Nico brought the bigger table home, a 6-seater. After everything was put together, he took the girls to the store with him and I stayed home to do a little more cleaning. Several times, I stopped in the doorway of my dining room and smiled at the new table. Why did we need bigger? Well because Victoria is coming to be with us of course! I smiled at the thought that we will actually USE this table... I smiled at all the burps that will happen, all the lectures to "EAT YOUR FOOD!" and all the smiles that our children will bring us over the next few years... all sitting at this table. I smiled inside as my heart swelled, knowing that since the purchase of my very first dining room table, I'd gained a family... and I'd made a home. Oh, how I love home.