Thursday, November 17, 2011

Happy Birthday, Riley!

8 years old. Wow. Several times within the last few weeks, when people ask me how old my kids are, I stumbled trying to remember how old Riley is. How is it possible that she's 8 now?

8 years ago she entered our lives, reluctantly. After about 2 hours of pushing, out she came. I was convinced she was a boy, and when Phil announced: "Oh my God, it's a girl!" I think my first reaction was "No way!" She was a fantastic baby (especially when compared to her colicky, non-sleeping brother) and such a fun toddler. But in all seriousness, she has really come into her own this year.

We had her parent/teacher conference earlier this month, and we were told she's a stellar student. She's currently reading at the 4th-grade level, and her math skills are astounding. The school will take these specialized tests in January, and her teacher believes that Riley will qualify for advanced placement for math.

School comes so easily to her, and it's amazing to see her learn. On the other hand, when she can't understand something easily, she tends to shut down and burst into tears. She's her harshest critic, something I believe she picks up from me, as I'm my own worst critic. She's had her moments of drama, but I have a feeling this is just a glimpse of what we have to look forward to during the teenage years.

She's an outstanding soccer player, something else that she has really come in to. Her soccer coach from when she was 5 asked her to play some 3-vs.-3 this summer just for fun, and she really improved with her play and her self-confidence. In fact, earlier this fall, an opposing coach, whom we had never met, came up to us and raved about her and said he wanted to recruit her to play for his team in the fall. Then tonight we got a call from her old coach who wants her to play indoor in January. She absolutely loves sports, especially swimming, softball and soccer. 

Happy birthday to our beautiful girl. We love you so very much!

8 years ago yesterday. I had no idea my water
would break just a few hours after this was taken.

8 years ago today. Poor girl had to get an IV after she was born, so she
had a splint on her left arm. Look at all that hair!

7 years ago at daycare.
6 years ago today.


5 years ago today.


4 years ago today.

3 years ago today.

2 years ago today.
 
Last year.

Today. My newly minted 8 year old.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

11-11-11

Phil and I just got back from our 10-year anniversary trip to St. Maarten. Wow. It was a fantastic trip, and I hope to post pictures and write about it soon. But tonight Phil posted this on Facebook, and I thought it was important enough to share. It's moments like this that make me speechless. (But on a less-serious note, Riley told us that on Friday it was veterinarian's day.)

I know it is a couple of days late, but my son learned today at church that it was Veteran's Day and they gave him a flag and asked to put it by a tombstone of a veteran who served our country. This is something he really wanted to do, a boy of 5 years old... My wife took him to a cemetery and placed the American flag on a soldier named Carlton who served in the 2nd world war. It is moments like this that make you stop and think about the men and women overseas that are protecting us and are so far away from home and their families. Thank you Carlton for you service to this country. I am honored to know you even if it is only by your name.