Daughter of Mine...

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!  I know we sure enjoyed ours!

Being that I am NOT a morning person,  I love that our kids don't wake us up too early on Christmas morning.  When the kids do come to wake us up, we have a tradition of me or the husband going to check to see if Santa came...this is a way for us to turn the lights on the tree so the kids will see the sparkley lights on the presents.  It is also a priceless way to watch their faces as they finally see what Santa left them!

The thing I love...even though 4 of our kiddos are old enough to now know who brings the presents, they still go along with it for Lil' Bug.  The older kids make sure to show Lil' Bug where Santa is at en-route on NORAD to our house. They make sure the cookies and milk are ready and our daughter, now 15 still writes the Santa "thank you" note before she goes to bed.  Little things like this with our kids, we cherish.

We enjoyed the rest of our day, playing...or more like the husband now was building many things with the boys...K'NEX, Legos, and playing new video games.  I love getting to sit back and take these moments in...trying to embed them in my memory forever.

 My kids are growing up way too fast...where has the years gone?

 Speaking of years...our daughter now lets us know often she only has a few years left until she graduates.  I remember the day...more like the moment she was born...it seemed like it would be forever until she was this old.

Her and I...we are very close.  Many times she has told me how her friends wished they could be as open and talk to their moms the way she and I can.  I feel blessed, but I also know I have worked very hard as a parent to be this kind of mom with my kids.  Everything is open for discussion in our home...that way the lines of trust and communication remain the foundation in our relationships.

One thing I enjoy so much about having a daughter, I did not get this closeness growing up.  My birth mother left when I was 3.  I did have mother figures in my life, but I still always felt a missing connection.  Envied many of my friends that had this with their moms...the moment I found out I was having a girl, beyond excitement!  I now have felt this connection I  missed growing up.  Our kids and family, they are everything!

With all the boys we have been blessed with, grateful to get to share girly things with at least one of my kiddos.  I love that my daughter loves all things girly!  She has such a fashion sense and confidence about who she is...I learn from her all the time.  Here are a few photos I wanted to share about this amazing, beautiful daughter of mine...

She is a leader, not a follower...

Never afraid to show who she really is and 

standing for what she believes in...

She is confident and strong...

yet can be a little shy...

Loving, kind and always ready to give a helping hand...

She loves to be unique and express her sense of style...

This daughter of mine...

Full of dreams and aspirations...

She is beyond her years in wisdom...

Smart, beautiful and very talented...

I admire her...  

 I love this Daughter of mine!

Wishing you all a great  and happy New Year ahead!! 

Hugs and love,