dear mia

Dear Mia Grace, 

I just can't get over that you are 7 years old.    

Oh goodness, sweetheart, you are so very loved.  You have grown into such a little lady over this past year.  Daddy and I are so very proud watching you make good choices and be your awesome little self.  We got so many notes last year from your kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Hebrank letting us know what an awesome example you are to your friends, how helpful you are, and how very sweet you are.  God gave you the biggest heart and we are in awe of the way you love others.  You have always been a little momma/caretaker and we've all wondered at some point how we would get along without you since you constantly remind us of stuff and keep us all in line.  You are an example in selflessness and often put your siblings and others in front of yourselves.  You just want everyone to be happy. You are an incredible asset to team Judd.

You love everything Momma sews for you, chili is one of your favorite meals but you aren't a huge fan of spaghetti, and you love to dance and sing in front of any captive audience.  You love to put on "shows" for us but lose patience if someone isn't paying full attention.  You remind me so much of me as a little girl. You are also strong, determined and feisty.  You once agreed to a plank contest with your Daddy and brother and lasted two whole minutes.  You were in it to win it even if that meant you fell down crying at the end. 

                     

You do school well.  You work hard at everything and it shows.  You befriended a sweet little girl (named Avery) who has Down Syndrome.  You spend your recesses with her and help her every chance you get.  You put skirts over your leggings for school just so you'll be able to sit down on the mulch with her at recess.  You told me that when you grow up you want to be a teacher of special needs kids.  Your teacher can't even believe your sweetness and how you play with her constantly no matter who else joins along.  You are such a special little girl that you can't help but be a blessing to those around you.  

You have been asking to take gymnastics for years now and one of these days soon, we will make that dream come true.  You love rollerblading, playing with dolls and Barbies, and baking with Momma.  You have made quesadillas for the family dinner a few times and you love it.  You take care of every little thing, even making sure the table is set and ready for us.  

You have a special love for your Great Grandma and will sit and listen to her ask you what your name is 100 times in the most patient and loving way.  It's precious and makes my heart so happy.  You love to visit with her and hear stories about her and you write or draw pictures of her at school every chance you get.  

We are crazy about you, Mia Grace and we can't wait to see what God has in store for your life.  We're so thankful to call you ours and watch you grow.  

Love you forever and ever no matter what, my sweet Mia.  

Mommy

xoxo

mia turns 7

Mia had quite a birthday this year!  It started off with Avery, Violet, and the neighbor girls celebrating her big time.  They dressed up fancy, decorated a wagon to be her "carriage", and took her on a ride to one of their houses where there was a dance party planned along with gifts.  It was the sweetest and I know it made Mia feel incredibly special.  

She requested "Mommy's pizza" for dinner, which is hilarious and awesome because it is store bought crust that even comes with the sauce.  It's super easy and she loves it.
The little lady chose cupcakes for dessert and of course, we had to have 7 pink candles to top it off.

She blew them out like a champ.

And then proceeded to lick the icing off every single one.

Avery made your birthday gifts this year and they were awesome.  She made you a mini "S" pillow for Samantha just like the "M" pillow you have and love.  She also made you a sweet little pincushion with an old spool and fabric leftover from your new dress.  They were such sweet thoughtful gifts and you were so happy about them.  

She got rollerblades for her birthday.  She hadn't asked for them, it was a surprise gift that I just had a feeling she would love.  She was so excited and has been practicing like crazy since.  

She was super shaky at first and wouldn't let go of one of us and then after just a couple days, she was gliding around like it was nothing.  Love her determination.

The one thing she had asked for was Samantha, the American Girl doll.  She told all of our families that all she wanted was money and gift cards so she could get her doll.  She got really close and then we took care of the rest.  So a few days after her birthday, Aunt Beth treated us to the in-store bistro birthday experience which is quite a treat!  They give her a seat for her doll, she gets a special cake with candles, gets sung to, the whole nine yards.  It's pretty special.  We had done it with Avery a few years ago and now it was Mia's turn.

She did not waver one bit on her doll choice like I thought she might once we were in the store.  She was determined to get Samantha and couldn't wait to bring her home.  

I was super excited about Mia's unicorn dress this year which I finished up the morning of her actual birthday.  Whew.  I was so happy to sew a mini version for Samantha so they could match and we brought it wish us so she could change her before lunch.

It really was an amazing day with our Mimi.  She was so sweet and quiet most of the day, just soaking it all in.  I was so thankful to have that opportunity and time with her.  

With so many people going out of their way to celebrate our girl, I couldn't help but feel incredibly blessed for all the love we have surrounding us. 

I know our Mia Grace felt so loved and celebrated, which is really what birthdays are all about.

mia plays soccer

Mia wanted to try soccer so we signed her up for the spring season and although it ended up not being her passion, we all had a lot of fun.  She was beyond excited before it began.  She would put on Avery's old uniform and "practice" at home.  She could not wait to be part of a team.  

Our sweet friend who is in basically in charge of the whole league hooked her up with an incredible coach so that made for a wonderful experience.  And the uniform was purple which she claims as her second favorite color so that was a win for sure.

She had quite the cheering squad for all the games.  They were the purple panthers so the others made a sign just for her to hold up at her first game.

That's a normal soccer pose, right?

She had some very special visitors during the season including her sweet kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Hebrank who did not live anywhere close to the fields but came anyway.  Mia was thrilled.  She had so thoughtfully gifted her that purple bow in her hair because she said every soccer player needed a good bow for her ponytail.  The sweetest.

The Heinbaugh cousins came to an unfortunately cold game to watch her play.  They're always happy to see their cousins! 

And the little end of season pizza party and award ceremony was adorable.  She got Most Improved which was neat and she was so proud.

Then there were purple cupcakes complete with soccer ball rings!

And riding through the parking lot hanging out of Daddy's car on a beautiful night was the icing on the cake.  What a sweet season it was.

a zoo date

I decided to keep Mia home from Kindergarten for a beautiful spring day so I could spend it with the whole day with these two again.  She was a bit unsure at first since school is her favorite thing but she agreed a day with Violet and I would be fun.  

We spent our day at the zoo and it was one of the sweetest days.  They had to wear their panda shirts so they could match.

The weather was amazing and they were sweet as can be.  One of those days where they were just happy to be together.

We even got to ride the carousel which is always a good thing.

They insist on sitting on the rhinos and getting a picture for every zoo visit.

We packed our lunch and picnicked at the zoo.  We spent about 4 hours there and it felt like we saw every single animal there.

We left the zoo that day with tired legs and full hearts.

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first day of kindergarten, second, and fifth grade

Sending them to school this year felt harder than ever for several reasons.  One being that we had the most amazing summer.  Two being that Mia was starting kindergarten.  Three being that we were moving 2 short days after school began and we knew chaos would come along with the move.  

The kids were all so excited.  Tyson's favorite day of school is the first day and after that, he is kind of over it but Avery gets crazy excited each year and loves it everyday.  Mia had been counting down the days until she was a big girl in school so she could not wait for it to actually happen.

It was a rude awakening that morning to actually have to wake up to an alarm clock and get everyone ready for the day.  Whew.  They all have tired eyes in these sweet photos.  Serious tans and tired eyes.  Both signs of a beautiful summer.

Avery's teacher team this year is awesome and we could tell from our first meeting with them.

After the first drop off of the day, everyone was in good spirits.

And then we moved on to the second drop off.  Our big second grader.

We loved his teacher right away too.  She has a great laugh and gives hugs.  My kind of girl.

The girls, especially Violet was not excited to see her bubba go.

We had some time in before dropping Mia off since she is in morning kindergarten.  She was more than happy to let me take one million pictures of her because she was proud and excited.

She was sporting french braids since Mommy finally learned how to do them and her newly pierced ears with pink hearts.

She was so excited to be wearing a special school dress designed by Mommy and sewn especially for her by Grandma.

Seriously, I cannot even put her excitement into words.  It was precious.  She reminded me so much of Avery when it was time for her to start kindergarten.  I love their enthusiasm for school.

And then it was finally time for Mia to go to school.  I cried like a baby as we walked out and her teacher hugged me and handed me some tissues.  It physically hurts me to leave them at school each year...but especially that first year.  It's rough.

Oh, how proud we are of our babies and how thankful we are for incredible teachers that become part of our "village" and build into them in so many ways.  Summer will always be my favorite though.