Butterflies and Birthday Cake

Four is a big deal. And for this big four, all other activities came screeching to a halt so we could celebrate. It helped that soccer games for Tman and Madi didn't conflict. So CJ had us all to herself.

Butterfly sandwiches.

Bug hunt in the back yard.

Not one, but two butterfly cakes.

Much too often, CJ is the one left behind. As the baby of our family, she will be the last to do most everything. But that hasn't stunted her cheerfulness. She's a kick of joy. A blast of fieriness. A challenge, no question. But a girl with a laugh that melts my saddest heart.

Everyday I am grateful I chose to have just one more...because my life is so much better with her in it. Happy Birthday sweet girl!

My Day

Time is running away from me. Days seem to tumble into weeks. And while nothing monumental is happening, I know I'll look back at this time in my life and long for the small, seemingly insignificant moments.

So here are the "insignificant" moments of my day - the small details - the ones I don't want to forget.

My iphone at my bedside table plays a tiny melody at 4:30AM telling me it's time to wake up. The world outside is black and starless. Only the orange hue from infrequent street lamps colors the pavement. But I am not alone. As I jog (in a somewhat zombie-like fashion) the morning call to prayer from mosques throughout the city greets the darkness with haunting melody, like a banshee's mournful cry.

I make breakfast still wearing my running clothes. I flip pancakes while the windows brighten with the rising sun.

CJ tumbles down the stairs. She is a mass of tangled blond hair, sleepy eyes, and blankets which she has dragged from her bed.

The hair is going to be a challenge. And yep, she runs to hide at the first sight of the hair brush. Rapunzel hair (or Perpunzel hair in CJ jargon) has its price.

Preschool is giggles, glue, songs, recess, pink lemonade and zoo phonics. Book time is my favorite preschool moment, when all four little girls cozy up on the couch and I read aloud "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus"...twice.  

After school begins the whirlwind/marathon of snacks, multi-tasking with homework, and getting to and from soccer practices. Tman, Leasie, and Meya are flushed and warm from the non air conditioned bus ride. If all homework gets done, we catch an episode of iCarly together. I love to laugh with my children.

Evening slips into night. We assemble lunches in the kitchen together. I slice carrots while each child makes a sandwich. The kids remind me to avoid using plastic wrap - we're trying very hard to have garbage-less lunches. A small step toward green.

I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror as I go to tuck CJ in bed. My eye-liner is smudged. I look old and tired.  

I sing funny "light" song from My Turn on Earth (CJ's current favorite lullaby). Oldest four gather on my bed and after squabbling about who gets to sit where, we settle in for a few pages of Peter Pan (such a lovely, funny book).

Lights out, earplugs in at 9:30.  Only to start over again in 7 short hours.