Lil Swimmers

Since you all don't get to go to Kaylee and Macie's swim practice every week I thought it was time that the family got to see how far Bugs has come in her swimming and how Macie is getting used to the whole thing. Kaylee has been working so hard on her big arms. They were such a challenge to her just a few months ago but now that she has gotten her arms and feet to cooperate with one another she has taken off! I LOVE watching her in the water every week and I am so proud of her sucess at WaterSafe. Miss Heather has been a great teacher to the girls!!

Kaylee Freestyle

Kaylee Backstroke

Macie flipping herself over

Mace workin through the pain....

33!

Well today I was lucky enough to get to celebrate another birthday, making that #33!! It was an awesome day here in Long Beach reaching to 80 degrees. I had a nice, relaxing, and fun day with my little family. I woke up to homemade cards from my babies (nothing better) then we took off for a drive down the coast to Crystal Cove. Along the way I tried to get pictures of the waves that were breaking in Huntington as we were driving through. I really was a beautiful morning. We ended up at the Beachcomber at Crystal Cove which turned out to be an hour and a half wait so while we waited the girls occupied themselves with the beach and watching the dolphins that were just hanging around. After a nice lunch we headed home and then Kaylee and I went to go get a mani/pedi, a first for Kaylee. She was so excited all day to go get her nails done and sat stone still while they worked on her. She was so cute!! As you can see from the last picture, she was very excited to be there. The day ended with us heading to Hof's ( I promised Kaylee pancakes for dinner) with Shawnna, Vinnie, the girls, John, Paula, Ang, an us for a birthday dinner. It was a great day and ended with a great night with friends and family!!!

Dolphins hanging around Crystal Cove. I got as close as my camera would allow.

Macie watching the surf!

JC insisted he had to get a picture of us leaving to get our nails done.

A smile worth a thousand words!

Baby Makai

One my oldest (25 year friendship) and closet friend had her first baby on Monday, January 17th. Melis had Makai William in the afternoon at Memorial Hospital here in Long Beach. I am so excited for her and I am so excited for "lil G" to have a little guy to play with!! Makai is such a sweet, mellow baby and the Bloeser Family looks forward to making him feel like a member of our family and watching him grow. Kaylee is so anxious to meet him and his Auntie Wendy is in love with him!! Now we just need our lil man to come along!!

Motherhood....

It's funny how when you are single, young, totally carefree, and imagine yourself as a mother it seems like days of changing diapers, playing at the park, and all lollipops and ice cream cones. In your mind there still isn't a worry in the world until the day comes when that precious baby is set on top of your chest for the very first time. It isn't until then and there that you realize how little you know and how you truely need to now be a full fledged responsible grown-up.

I had this overwhelming feeling come over me a few months back and it has never really left me. I was driving to the store and I suddenly realized just how fast Kaylee was growing up, she is going to be 4 in two months and I swear she was just 2 months old. I, all of a sudden, had this empty feeling inside of me thinking about when she, Macie, and lil guy are older and don't really need mom anymore. It is a feeling I cannot describe. It is a sinking feeling though and one that almost makes me feel like, well what is there for me then...? Just 5 years ago I would have had no idea what I was talking about but now I completely understand the whole "empty nest" syndrome.
I think that that time will come quickly in years but slowly in moments and hopefully those moments will keep me comforted in them being my babies. The love that fills your heart when you become a parent is both wonderous and devestating at the same time. I say devestating because if your child hurts, you hurt, if your child is scared, you feel scared for them. It is a constant battle of wanting to keep your babies in a bubble but learning how to give them that sense of freedom to choose their own way to make their own mistakes to learn from with out being put in any danger. It's a total circus act!

I have realized that all I can do is love them, discipline them when needed, teach them right from wrong, to be honest, respectful, and hope and pray that they take somewhat of those lessons with them into adolescents and adulthood. We as parents make plenty of mistakes in our journey with them so they are allowed a few too ;)

love.....

All was suddenly quiet in the family room and while I knew Beauty and the Beast had been put on yet again, I wondered why the quiet. I knew Kaylee, Macie, and JC were in there and that Kaylee loves to sing along with the movie but all was way too quiet. I finished the dishes, closed the dishwasher, and looked over to my right to see the most adorable picture ever of my lil family.........

Grandma Lisa

It isn't too often that we get BOTH Grandma and Bobo at our house for a few days so it was really special for the girls to get to spend some one on one time with them both! I love this picture of Kaylee and Lisa in bed together....SOOO CUTE!!

Now if I could get a picture like this with everyone! Well not at the same time......or wait that would be a hilarious picture actually!

Little Girls!

What could be better to two little girls than the idea of dressing up as a princess, ballerina, fairy, or anything else for that matter? NOTHING! Kaylee has always loved dressing up and I have always wondered how this happened seeing that I was always much of a girl but never "girlie girlie". Now Macie has caught on and the minute she walks into the play room she emerges with a dress, usually Ariel for me to put on her. They have the best time dressing up and pretending. This is what it's all about!!