Eight is GREAT!

Yesterday we got home from an action packed weekend in Monterey, four blissful days of no cooking, or cleaning, laundry or blogging....so it's time to catch up. 

Dempsey's eighth birthday was more than I could've hoped for.  And on the last night of our little holiday in Monterey, Dempsey gave me an eighth birthday gift that I will remember until I'm an old lady, if I make it that far. :) But more of that later!

The morning of Dempsey's birthday I made a concerted effort to be open and conscious of taking in every second and relishing in whatever the day would bring.  It didn't disappoint, I had many moments of gratitude so I wanted to share.......

                       The birthday girl before her party!


By eleven am, the sky was cloudless, a heavenly blue like an untouched canvas waiting to be painted.  I'd organized a pool party with ten of her little girlfriends.  So, after lots of photo opp's, (which Dempsey hated!), we tied balloons to the letter box, filled pink bowls with chips and sour gummy worms and waited for the troops to arrive.

I watched nine sweet smiling faces arrive, dragging beach bags and brightly wrapped gifts with ribbons and cards for Dempsey.  Their faces adorned with enormous smiles and excitement and innocence...the essence of life itself in each tiny bikini.  All of them....with the capacity to just be happy and enjoy the moment.  They could teach us all what is important and real in life.

     Demps with Ava and Bella.

And I soaked in every second, watching them in their saggy bottomed swimmers with swirling arms and legs, splashing in the cool water.  I listened to them giggling, simply high on life and it filled me with happiness! 

     Dempsey and her ten little girlfriends...happy!

Then it was pizza and cake time.  As I placed Dempsey's Care Bear cake amongst the cold pizza crusts and spilt drinks, one little friend told me..."Mrs Doyle, Care Bears scare me!" ....and I had to smile at her innocence and honesty as I thought to myself, "Oh if only life could be that simple!"

      The infamous Care Bears!

I stood smiling like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland, at nine dripping wet urchins, surrounding my baby, singing "Happy Birthday, Cha Cha Cha!"  And I wished her big sister could've been there with us, however, Savannah taught me more than anyone to apprecitate these moments and be happy with simply being alive!


And then, in the distance we heard the "thump thump thump" sound of a helicopter approaching ....a friend had organized a happy birthday fly over for Dempsey and her friends.  I watched in awe as it buzzed and hovered over the pool, while ten little girls waved madly at the big bird and I found I couldn't stop smiling......WOW! 

      The helicopter fly over...how lucky!


And that pretty much summed up the day for me...three little letters, wow!   Wow at what I have, and wow that I have a healthy, happy little girl to love!  And as I tucked Demps into bed that night, I asked her what she enjoyed most about her eighth birthday....and she said "Everything Mommy...I loved everything!"  and so did I!  I know for me, making that conscious choice first thing that morning to enjoy whatever the day brought set my mind up for a happy one.

But her birthday didn't end there for me.....like I said, we travelled to Monterey, and Sunday night, sitting in a cocktail bar, surrounded by a massive fish tank and other fellow diners, I heard the soft twinkling sounds of piano music!  Then I realized....my goodness, it was Dempsey!  She had found a piano in a quiet corner of the room and had started playing.  My heart surged with pride and love and gratefulness at how fortunate I am to have her and enjoy her and how proud I am to be her mom.

And when she finished playing, the whole room went quiet, then erupted in applause...Demps stood up, took a big bow and sat down with a shy smile.  A pretty young girl of probably twenty approached the piano, handed Dempsey a five dollar bill, and then wandered over and told me how lucky I am to have such a beautiful little girl!  I blinked back my tears as I thanked her and told her......I knew! :)

Wishing you all sunshine and blue skies ahead and hoping you can just take a moment to find and enjoy a little thing in your blue cup today! :) :) x

     The only photo I got of the birthday girl and me at the end of her day!

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