She Turned Eight

My beautiful baby girl, the one who made me a Mama, turned 8 years old on Tuesday. It's crazy, really.  It kinda feels like it has flown by and it kinda feels like she's always been in my life. She changed the whole course of my life as I knew it.  Becoming a real life Mom changed me from the inside out, in the best and worst of ways.  I've learned so much in these 8 years and not just in how to take care of a newborn, or how to potty train babies, or how to take care of a sick kiddo, or how to handle a total breakdown of a child (or children) in the middle of a grocery store, or how to multitask like a BOSS, but also stuff like how selfish I never knew I was, or how much my heart could love another human, or how much God really does love me as His child now that I have a child (and now children) of my own, or how much I NEED Jesus everyday to care and love and nurture and raise up the most precious little people I've ever met. Mommyhood changed me forever..... And this little beauty started it all....

The night before her birthday, I wrote her a letter. I think it was more for me than her. I was getting all sentimental as I remembered the moments leading up to meeting her... like the night I found out I was really and truly pregnant, and the day I found out I was having a girl, and then the big monumental day of seeing her face for the very first time.  Nothing prepared me for that moment.  I read her the letter before sending her away to bed as a 7 year old to then see her in the morning as an 8 year old. 

We started the day off with a stack of 8 doughnuts with an "8" candle on top, singing "Old McDonald Had a Farm".  *joke joke joke*  No, we sang the good ol' classic, "Happy Birthday" and enjoyed some doughnut love. Then we packed up shop and headed to the movies which was perfect with her birthday being on Tuesday because they had the $1 kiddo movies for the summer going on. Score for us parentals! Her one request was that her and her siblings wore their jammies the the flick. It was a cute request, so off they went in their jams!

We went out for lunch at Chick-fil-A and the kiddos all played in the play area for a bit (that usually never happens cuz us parents are germ freaks!).  Next on the list was to go thrift store shopping. Atta girl! She hooked herself up with a barbie and a barbie movie. Lots of excitement!

After nap time for the boy and this preggie pop, she opened a present from us and then later another present from her Grammies.  Then I got her dressed up and went to take her birthday pictures at a park nearby. 

By the end of the day she said, "WOW! What a great first day being 8!!! This was the best birthday ever!!" That was music to this Mama's ears!  We don't have much to go around these days so seeing her gratefulness was sweeter than sweet.

Here is a peek into her day...

This was on our way out to leave for the movie. I told them to smile big. They were very obedient. 

Anyone that knows this beauty, knows that she loves to dance... anywhere, anytime, with music or without. 

 She's sassy like her Mama but has an extra dose of sweetness.  She's a joy as a daughter, she's the best big sister eva, and she has such a beautiful and tender heart for Jesus.  She is so full of compassion for others, she is very timid unless you mess with her family and then she'll stand up to anyone to defend and protect those she loves. She is a total gift from Jesus to me a a Mom. She helps me in SO many ways. She's amazing all the way around. This Cordova crew is better with her being a part of it. 

We love you, Moriyah Shalom! Smooches!