Birthdays, Bandits and Bedrooms

Today Paris turned 8 years old! My baby girl was born 8 years ago today. I can't believe the trick time plays. Since it's a special year, we decided to let her pick a special birthday party. She picked and ice skating birthday party at the rec center. She loves to ice skate and she tells people that "I'm a professional!"

She entertained her guests by doing self taught tricks throughout her party on ice. I entertained her guests by falling on my face! hahaha. True. I sometimes carry false confidence in myself... Paris has friends that are impressed with speed on ice, before too long, after racing one another, they wanted to know how fast I could go. "You shouldn't have asked me that" I said, plotting a speedy round around the rink.

It turns out the joke was on me, right after I hit my top speed, my toe-pick caught the ice and I went flying face first into the ice. I felt every bone in my body crack as the wind was knocked completely out of my body. I probably slid 15 feet across the ice, on my stomach.

The party was a hit. The rest of the time the kids repeated to themselves, "Did you see Paris's Mom fall?" I couldn't have paid for better entertainment, it turns out. Jeremy only regrets missing it. He had to come a few minutes late. I'm certain he would have roared with laughter. After watching me fall down the stairs three times, fall off my new bike, and trip over the flat floor, Jeremy has lost concern when he knows I will pop up and say " I'm ok, I'm ok..." He also knows I will spend the next week complaining about my bumps and bruises.

And so it is true. I woke up almost unable to move today. I hurt everywhere. I can honestly say, it HURTS to watch your kids grow up so fast.

In the mean time, Berlynn has felt like the red headed step child. She came with us to go dress shopping for Paris, twice. As Paris has just turned 8 she has decided to get baptized, so we needed to find a baptism dress. She watched with jealous eyes as Paris tried on dress after dress. Now, as Paris rakes in the presents at her birthday party, Berlynn eyes every present... plotting...

Paris, being a big girl now, has decided to move into her own bedroom in the basement. As we begin to move her things into the basement, Berlynn occupies herself by tearing into little presents, playing with its contents.

As I move the contents of Berlynn's drawers into other drawers I find little stashes of treats, she had picked up from various places and hid them to avoid detection. I laugh to myself because Berlynn has always been our little bandit. I don't know what has provoked her so, but she feels the need to stash various "treasures" everywhere. As much as I get after her for her bandit like actions, I can't help but to find it a little endearing. I find myself trying to hold onto every character trait that will keep my little girls forever in my memory.

Berlynn and Paris just seem to grow up too fast. Paris just turned 8 and Berlynn just graduated from preschool. She starts kindergarten next year! While she's very excited, I'm sad. From Paris demanding her privacy, to Berlynn plotting to violate Paris's privacy, my babies are big.






Additional evidence; Berlynn just learned how to ride a bike without training wheels.