Eight is Great!!!

I know I say this every year, but I can't believe Delilah is eight years old. You are so fantastic, sweet girl, and I couldn't ask for a more wonderful daughter.
Some things about you right now:
-you love all things "fashion" and Noelle calls you 'the fashionista.'
-you love to read and will sneak a light under your covers to read after you're supposed to be asleep.
-you care a great deal about rules and fairness and it upsets you when people don't follow the rules.
-you are in choir and jazz and love performing.
-you LOVE to be outside and are so happy that the weather is turning warmer now.
-you and Noelle continue to grow closer and closer and watching your relationship grow and deepen is one of my favorite things in the whole world.
-you do everything with gusto, as you always have. People comment all the time after they watch you sing in church, (or do anything, really), about how you give it your all.
-you dance and sing and skip and twirl all the time. You are never still or silent.
-everyone loves you. Mrs. Nigg told me that in class, you are the girl that everyone wants to be friends with.
-your best friends right now are Emma, Liv, and Mia. Especially Emma. I love the way you and your friends support each other...you attend each other's dance recitals and plays and are more thoughtful with each other than most women three times your age.
-you love any type of craft or artistic activity. You have a wall in your bedroom that has become an exhibit wall of sorts; one day it will be covered with colored butterflies, then a few weeks later you will cover it with fashion drawings, then a few weeks later it will be covered with spirographs, and so on with whatever is your current artistic obsession.

You requested a painting party for your birthday this year. So we turned you and your friends loose in the backyard with canvases, paint, paper, brushes, chalk, bubbles...and a hose. You all had a BLAST!

Liv couldn't attend your party, so the next day I took you, Liv, and Emma to get pedicures and ice cream at Longford's. The three of you were so excited and kept calling it your 'fancy spa day.' I loved listening to the three of you sing in the backseat. Such sweethearts.

Happy birthday, Delilah. I have no doubt you will have a fabulous year. We love you!!!

Winter Catch Up

After a hiatus of several years, I have finally begun sewing again. My first items were a couple dresses and leg warmers for Noelle's beloved "Baby." She and Delilah picked out the fabric, and then anxiously watched me sew. They had been begging me for over a year to sew, and they couldn't believe it was finally happening. At one point Noelle asked, "Is this a dream?" I said, "No, why?" And she said, "because I'm just so happy." What an angel.

Since then, I've sewed Valentine's Day dresses for the girls, some nightgowns, another dress for Noelle, and a shirt and leggings for Delilah. They pick out the fabrics and we collaborate on choosing the patterns. They LOVE wearing things I make them, which thrills me to no end. One of Delilah's favorite parts of the process is when I have her try things on..."this makes me feel very special and important, Mommy."

There wasn't much snow this year, but we enjoyed the few days we had. Here are some pics from a sledding afternoon with the Chesleys and Beattys.

We also had fun, as always, at the Stepping Stones Children's Museum in Norwalk, CT.

Somehow, I didn't take any pictures of my weekend in Louisiana, but I have to talk about it. Kurt has wanted to do Glengarry Glen Ross for as long as I've known him. It's a dream role for him. When he was cast in Theatre Baton Rouge's production, I knew I had to be there on opening night. So Joie and I planned a surprise weekend and it was just as fun as I hoped. She picked me up from the airport, told him to meet her for lunch, and then I stepped out of the booth as he was walking in. He literally almost fainted...it was the best reaction ever.

I had a fantastic weekend with the Hauschild family...the play was great, and Kurt was fantastic in it. We went to the movies, had brunch, and just hung out and had a lovely 48 hours.

Here are the girls enjoying impromptu ice cream sundaes after school:

 And here are Emma and Delilah hard at work, writing songs. They also do this at school during recess with Liv.

 And we enjoyed a beautiful day in Manhattan...went to the Central Park Zoo, then the girls stayed at Broadway Presbyterian while Chris & I had a date, just like the old days. :)  And while I was at dinner, I found out that one of my oldest and dearest friends from college, Erin Long Conlon, was in town (she lives in Los Angeles). It was way too late and I was way too tired, but I decided to go meet her and her friends at a swanky restaurant in the meatpacking district while Chris took the girls home. Such a fun surprise end to the evening!

 The girls playing at night in the backyard:

Spring Break always falls on Holy Week here, which is my busiest week at work, so the girls never get to take a fun trip like most of their friends.  We took a quick overnight trip to an indoor waterpark in New Jersey. It was a wonderful 24 hours away!

Easter was beautiful!

And I took this picture of Noelle just because she looked so cute and like the quintessential kindergartener!

The first day it was warm enough for sprinklers!

Karen Beatty invited us to the Gala Fundraiser that she co-chaired for the Family Services of Westchester. It was a beautiful event filled with sports stars (Andy Pettitte, Bobby Knight, Rudy) and we enjoyed dressing up!

It's been a great season, but we are all ready for more sunshine and warmth!