All about Ali

I actually write more updates then I post. I have a handful of posts in my "draft" folder of the blog. Some are never ment to be posted, as they bear my intimate thoughts and feelings. Yet others are ones I start, get sidetracked and ultimately forgotten about and never posted. Such is the case with this post. I actually had completed it but I was having troubling update pictures so I put it in the draft file. This one was from Monday. I'll post pictures...later I guess.

Yesterday was all about Ali as she was dedicated before God and our church congregation. I didn't expect to get choked up but, as we stood at the front of the auditorium (along with 30 other families) my eyes started to water. In my mind I've been anticipating her growing up. I knew that with each little milestone she makes, she closes the gap in development between her and her siblings. It's been more difficult with a third child. Not in the sense that there are more children, but that there is a huge gap in interest and ability between my 6 year old and Ali. For example, while Ty might likes building elaborate buildings out of blocks, Ali would much rather prefer to knock them over, bang them together and throw them (which causes alot of frustration for both of them). Right now Ali is referred to the "baby monster" quite often because she destroys stuff. She knocks down Ty's blocks and buildings, messes up his lines of cars, pulls Ava's hair, she bites both of them if they try to man handle her, the list could go on and on of the "menace" she can be. But she's not acting any different then her siblings did at this age. The reality is that it has been harder. Not difficult or impossible just harder because of the age gaps. As I anticipate her growing up I realize I didn't enjoy the baby of Ali as much as I did the other 2. I guess there are alot of factors that would play into that but I think the biggest one was her being the 3rd kid. Even as an infant it was difficult not to wish her to grow up a little more...wishing her to get bigger to sleep through the night, to taking a feeding with out spitting up, to not have to always be held, sit up on her own, to not cry when she couldn't see me, to entertain herself, to finger feed herself, to crawling, to walking. I anticipated every little milestone because with each one I knew that would make her more independent (and less dependant on me for her every need). All of that to say, I was ready for her to get bigger so the caregiving would get easier: learning to play on her own and with others, learning to feed herself and being LESS messy (without requiring a bath after every meal), not having to supervise her 24/7, not being so needy of her mommy...those are just the big ones these days.
As I stood in front of the congregation, remembering just 2 short years earlier holding Ava (who wore the same dress Ali did and as I look back on pictures apparently I wore the same dress as well..opps!) and making the same promise before God the cycle of it was enough to draw me to tears. My baby is growing up, and Sunday was the last Sunday she will be 0 years, because on Saturday she turns 1. I'm really not sad but excited. Excited for all the things that are to come and all the ways she'll grow and change and become that spunky and full of life little Ali I foresee her to be.
I met a older women a few weeks ago and she told me about how they did blessing at major events in their child's life. I love the idea and want to do it for the milestones in our kids life. So we had our own little blessing/celebration last night. We tried to keep it age appropriate for all parties involved and so we named it,  "baby dedication celebration" and went to Chucky Cheese. Before the games we  went around and said 2 things we are going to do personally to help Ali grow up to be a woman of God. And then we each said a prayer especially for her. The kids were the sweetest, especially Ty who takes his big brother role seriously. He said he will read stories from the Bible to teach her about God and Jesus. He'll share with her and love her to be an example of Jesus to her. It just so happens that Ava said the same thing (repeating Ty). It was another sweet moment of the day and again I cried.

While her offical birhtday is this up coming Saturday we had her party last weekend. It was a totally improtu party. I found out Friday night my parents were coming into town to watch Ty and Levi's baseball game. When I woke up Saturday morning at 7 am, I decided to have her party that day. With a whirl wind of action I took the kids to the store to buy Ali  presents and get stuff to make cupcakes. Ty picked out toothbrushes and a big ball. Ava picked out bubbles, toothpaste, and some new sippy cups...Ali loves to brush her 4 teeth and the toothbrush/ toothpaste was her favorite gift. Jeff and  I got her a swing to hang in the backyard and little pool. After the boys game at the Y we hung out by the pool for several hours celebrating Ali's birthday. It was an afternoon perfectly spent.