Dear Kenzie

2 days old

4 months

8 months

Well, sweet girl, it's been four years since you've come into my life.  That sometimes sounds like forever to me, but when I think about the fact that I'm 27 (ok fine, 30.), it's hard to imagine all those years not having you around.  You have brought me so much joy.  Serious, blissfully happy, erase-all-my-worries-away joy. Like when you were a tiny baby and you would wake up and give me a big smile. . . And when you slept through the night so early on. . . Like when you tell me that I'm your best friend in the whole world.. . Or that I sound just like the girl singing on the radio in the car while we're driving. . . When you get excited on Monday and Tuesday mornings and whisper in my ear:  "it's a girl day" because it's just us hanging out until 2pm. . . You unselfishly share anything you have- even your favorite candy. . . When you draw me a card with lots of pictures of me and you- sometimes in a tent or on a swing, or with Pippa- always in beautiful dresses. . . When we look in the mirror and you say we're twins because we have the same eyes. . . When I'm cleaning your room and you pick a couple of things up and tell me to "give it to another little kid who doesn't have any toys". . . Or when you are looking through a magazine and point to a ridiculously gorgeous model and say I look just like her. . . When you tell me that you just want me to hold you or that you need a hug or a kiss.  You don't say you want one, you say you need one. 

 9 months

9 months

11 months Kiawah Island

1 year old!

You also give me some pretty awesome belly laughs (and sometimes humble me as a parent too).  Like the other day when we were walking into the store and you loudly announced that the woman just a few feet away "is getting pretty old", which was a tad mortifying considering that woman really only looked about 60. . . Or a few months ago when you pointed at some bras while we were shopping and proclaimed "Mommy, your boobies are way too small to fit into those"! . . And the other night when I threatened to spank your tail, you immediately stopped what you were doing and told me "no you can't because I don't have a tail.". . .The time when you were not even two years old and we were in the shower and you started wiggling and touching your shins- when I asked you what you were doing you said "shaking my legs" because you had asked me the day before what I was doing and I told you "shaving my legs". . . Or just this morning when you were sitting in my closet and had asked me to do 3 things for you- all at once- and I told you that I can't do everything at one time and you replied, "well, Sponge Bob can". 

15 months in the barn

16 months in the Old City

16 months in the Old City

August 2008 Jen's wedding

The way your mind works is fascinating.  You are so smart.  You could easily find your way around an iPhone when you were two and a half.  Last week you counted to 50.  And you use words like "actually" and "magenta".  I think that's pretty cool.  You are so good to me.  You love me unconditionally.  And you see the good in people.  I am so proud of the little girl you have become in such a short time and to say that I am extremely blessed to have you is quite the understatement.  I am so happy to be your Mommy.

September 2008 in the cabinet

January 2009 at the farm

February 2009 at home

3 years old!

May 2010 at school

I love you so much, Kenzie.  You are my sunshine.

I took this picture last night at Pizza Kitchen.  Kenzie is growing up and like every other parent in the world, I really want to keep her this age forever because time just goes by too fast!  She will turn four on Tuesday.  I am certain of the date because she has asked me "how many days until my birthday" for about 44 days now.  She was looking through some old pictures and asking me questions about when she was a baby and glancing at them, I realized how much she has grown and changed in just (under) four short years.  Maybe I'll post some of those.  Or maybe I'll procrastinate and never get around to it like always. . .we'll see.

This was the first official haircut that I long ago promised to talk about.  Randy told her all about how he had to go to special hair-cutting school to get a special license which means only people with that license are allowed to cut hair.  Before we left, Kenzie told him that she wanted to go to hair-cutting school so she could get a special license too.  It actually turned out super cute and I didn't have a panic attack or faint like I feared I would.  He cut off 5 inches, which means that there is still a little bit in the back that is 3 inches shorter, but honestly, unless you're really looking for it, you can't tell at all. 

I know at the time, I was really freaking out, but in hindsight, it could have been far worse.  Like the other day when I picked Kenzie up from school and was thinking "Man!  Who cut all of her little friends hair off?!  Her hair is ridiculously short!  What kind of parents would do that to a little girl?!"  Then, it hit me.  Upon a closer glance, I saw that the front was not quite right- almost like the hairdresser had an accident while cutting. . . it suddenly dawned on me that she had cut her own hair to the scalp in front- and pretty far back too.  The teacher confirmed that's what had happened.  I didn't ask if it happened at school.  It made me feel pretty lucky though, I mean at least Kenzie still looks like a little girl.  I don't mean that to sound ugly- I know that pixie cuts are all the rage for some people.

It was my last day in the G37 a couple days ago and Kenzie and I had gone out for one last errand in it.  On a whim, I pulled over next to the railroad tracks to take some pictures of her.  Had I planned it, I would have picked a different outfit, but whatev.  Once I convinced Kenzie that I would know when a train was coming WAY before it ever came close, she enjoyed taking pictures.  Well, for about 2 minutes.  It was blistering hot that day and 2 minutes was all we could stand.  This one was the best of the bunch and I used it for her birthday invitations. 

This is a picture from Easter. I know that was a long time ago, but still, a cute picture worth posting. We don't have a lot of family shots since Erin or myself is usually taking pictures. It was the perfect day for hunting eggs. We had beautiful weather and Deloris was finally able to convince Mom to come up to the farm. Everyone had such a good day. Plus, since Kim stuffs like 200+ eggs and there are only 5 kids to hunt, we are still eating Easter candy. And yes, it still tastes good.

Remember when you were a kid and you used to say the "Eeinie-Meenie-Mynie-Moe" rhyme to decide things like who gets to eat the last piece of candy or who gets to hide first during hide and seek? Well, evidently in Kenzie's group of friends, it's just used to see who gets to BE Moe. Being Moe doesn't seem to have any special benefits or anything, but if you're not Moe, I guess that's almost like saying "you lose". Even though you weren't playing anything. For example, the other night, Kenzie was playing outside with her friends and ran to me crying. She was upset because the other 2 girls had both been Moe, but she hadn't yet. Make sense? Yeah, me neither.